One Door Closes Another One Open's
by forevercharmed01
Summary: Barely a week after they bury Prue. Piper and Phoebe come across a picture of their Mom and a baby who isn't any of them. On learning the secret Patty kept for 20 years, both sister's must overcome their personal feeling's in order to find her. But will they find more than they were expecting. And what will Paige do when she find's her perfect life come crashing down around her.
1. The Photo

**New story time! Other one is as of now not continuing as i think this will be a much better one. But it will be similar to my other as it still focuses on how they find Paige but the premise is different as you will see as the story goes on. **

**As it is my first fic for a while on here, i have been watching old re-runs and my inspiration and muse have come back to me for this, Hopefully it will be simple and easier to write. I would really value people's intake on this, what they thought, was it good should i carry on. Small things like that matter in writing.**

**I would also be very grateful for comment's, critique, idea's anything that you may like to see. **

**One with the story and i hope you all enjoy. :O**

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She couldn't believe it.

She sat on the sofa in the lounge letting everything float by in a haze of numbness. She had, they had, only just buried Prue last week. The healing hadn't even set in yet she couldn't let it didn't want to, and now by some horrible, cruel twist of fate they had been told they had another sister.

She couldn't believe it.

Them the ones that had kept this from them for so long, the ones who neglected to tell her this life changing information. Was the ones that she loved the most, her own family. Her mom her dear, sweet, ever loving mom. Had chosen to keep this from them why, she didn't know but at long last when she did it had been a hard hit to say the least. And the worst thing was, she was still hesitant to reveal the big secret then.

If it wasn't or the ill-fated photo she had come across during the clear out. Then they still would have been oblivious to this day.

_It was a few days after Prue's funeral and Phoebe, in an effort to keep distracted had begun clearing out the attic. Piper didn't know why and really couldn't find it in her to care but the other woman had been insistent that she help her, Piper, the now oldest sister left. Didn't want to she just wanted to forget everything and wallow in her bed for the rest of her life. _

_It didn't deter Phoebe however and she still tried, in the end Piper was sick of her trying, didn't she realize that Prue was dead, her oldest sister was no more. Didn't she see the coffin getting lowered into the ground. She didn't know if her younger sister was at the same funeral but either way Prue still wasn't coming back._

_And it hurt like hell. It hurt like never before._

"_Phoebe no, I don't want to" Came her muffled response as once more she tried to rouse Piper from her bed._

"_Please, it needs it."_

"_Then do it by yourself"_

"_I can't, have you seen how big it is"_

"_Then do some tomorrow….Leave me alone"_

"_Piper"_

"_Phoebe"_

"_Pleeeeaaase"_

"_Phoebe I said NO!"_

_Piper sat up and pulled the covers off finally losing what little patience she had that day. She glared at her younger sister as the other woman took a step back._

"_I said I don't want to clean the attic. I said it yesterday, and the day before. It's just trash, stupid, annoying, needless trash. I don't want to clean it. I don't want to spend my day sorting through it, I just want to be left alone. So please, just do that…..Do that one thing and leave me the hell alone."_

_Phoebe stared at the other woman who had snapped at her so viciously before nodding and muttering more quietly._

"_I just thought it might help."_

"_Well it won't so stop trying"_

_The other woman huffed and crossed her arms_

"_Well sorry for making and effort, you know it didn't just happen to you." And with that she left the room and angrily stomped up to the attic leaving Piper more worse then she already felt. She sighed and dropped back to the bed closing her eyes in anger. Why couldn't she just see that cleaning a stupid room was far from what any of them should be doing at that time. _

_She stayed like that for a while emotions running through her body until finally sadness came over her and not just for the loss, she felt bad for snapping at the younger woman. In some way she knew she was only trying to help her get a sense of normality she knew she shouldn't of lashed out at her as she was only trying to help but it still hurt. Breathing out heavily she clambered up and out of bed._

_Leaving her room for the first time in three days she ventured up to the attic, she had to go apologize. After all, Phoebe was the only sister she had left now and she couldn't bear the thought of them being strained….Not now._

_She made her way into the room and looked around spotting the other woman at the other end riffling through boxes. She waited for a moment until Phoebe turned around and spotted her, they both were silent each staring at another part of the room until Piper sighed and spoke._

"_Hey"_

"_Hey"_

_They were silent again _

"_So…Cleaning" Phoebe smiled and looked down._

"_Yeah"_

"_How's that going" She laughed a little and nodded,_

"_Er….good Well, as good as cleaning can be"_

_Both nodded and fell silent again until finally._

"_I'm sorry" Both looked at each other as the words fell out of their mouths at the same time_

"_Why are you sorry?" Piper looked at the other woman as Phoebe placed the box down and moved closer._

"…_..I'm sorry or trying to make you do something….Anything. I know that Prue was our sister, and she has been there every step of the way for us, of course it's only natural that you would want to still be heartbroken, hell I'm…..I'm inside, in bits. I just don't know how to…..I grieved, those days after the funeral, and now I just need to think of something to help take some of that away, it's still there but at least if I do this, then it will help."_

_Piper listened as she spoke._

"_And I know that to you it may seem like I don't care but I do….She was my sister to and I loved her just as much. But you were always the one closest to her, I went to New York purely for that reason and though it did get better, it still wasn't enough to bridge that gap, so of course I realize that you'd need to still grieve more than I, I'm just sorry I tried to make you stop."_

_Piper smiled sadly when she finished tears in her eyes as she replied._

"_No Phoebe no, you was only trying to help and I get that, or that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be short with you. It's just…..Your right it does hurt, still so much it feels like a whole is gone and no matter what it will never be filled again as it won't but. Your right, lying around in bed thinking of past memories won't help me. None of us are quite ready to move on."_

_Phoebe nodded at that_

"_But at least by distracting ourselves we can try to dull the ache until its ready to heal." She smiled at the end as Phoebe moved quickly to hug her, they held each other in a tight embrace for a while until Piper sniffed and they broke apart with Phoebe wiping her eyes they took a moment to collect themselves, as Phoebe slid her hand into that of the other woman's and smiled a little._

"_We can get through this together" She muttered quietly as Piper nodded. _

"_So what do you need help with" _

_They both got to work on clearing the boxes into piles sorting out the different items as they both went through working out whose was whose. They both smiled as they came across stuff from their childhoods with doll's that belonged to Phoebe and books that had been Piper's both thought they had been lost or thrown away, Phoebe had moved across back to the window and was shifting through some that had been left as Piper looked in a box that contained photographs._

_She smiled as she looked through books that held memories of her with their mother as well as others with Prue and Phoebe with their grams. She looked through book after book smiling brightly at the ones that showed them playing with Andy, back when they had their powers before grams bound them, she looked on wistfully as the people they had known most had died._

_She placed the last book on the floor and was about to move the box to the side when one last photo caught her eye as she bent to retrieve it from the bottom. She flipped it over to see that it was of their mother holding one of them as a baby but her eyes narrowed when she realized that she had never seen the picture before and what was more, the baby, wasn't of any of them._

_She gazed over the image, it was their mother as she was sat down on the chair but, the baby…..Looking at the other person in the photo she was confused to see that it wasn't of their father either. It was of Sam, their Mothers whitelighter who had turned Elder. He had come one final time to tell her that he could no longer be her guardian and came to say goodbye. That was the last time any of them ever saw him but what was he doing standing next to their mother who was holding someone else's baby._

"_Phoebe" She called over her shoulder as she called back. She knew it was pointless as she had already deducted just by looking, but she had to ask anyway._

"_Yeah"_

"_Come here for a second"_

_Shuffling was heard as a few seconds later the other woman came to stand by her_

"_What"_

_Biting her lip, Piper mused for a minute before holing out the picture as the younger woman looked down._

"_Is that you," She smiled before carrying on. "Weren't you just cute."_

_She cut off when she saw Piper's expression and her smile dropped slightly. "What"_

"_That's not me"_

_Phoebe's own eyes narrowed as she looked back to the photo and then to Piper again._

"_Prue?" Piper shook her head once more as now Phoebe had stooped to kneel next to her,_

"_Then who is it? Because grams showed me every picture I had with mom and this one I've never seen."_

"_I don't think any of us have seen it before" She said looking back at the image, she saw the blanket the mystery baby was wrapped up in and the symbol that signified that on the book behind them, none of it add up and now she was more puzzled than anything._

"_Is that Sam" Phoebe asked looking more closely as Piper nodded, "Why is he on there didn't he get promoted to and Elder. Piper nodded._

"_Yeah….I don't get this" She added still extremely confused, if they had seen all the photos of them with their mother then why had they never seen this one and just who was the mystery baby._

"_You don't think….." She heard Phoebe a few minutes later as she turned to face her and noticing the look she had on her face._

"_What" The other woman remained silent but just looked back at the picture before back to her as Piper mused on what she could have been implying before it hit her,_

"_No…No"_

_Phoebe shrugged as Piper shook her head, "Phoebe, we would have known if mom had another child. Don't you think we would have seen the bump." She protested as the younger woman shrugged again._

"_I don't know Piper it's just why would she be here with another baby and with her former whitelighter. I mean look at the way she is holding her,"_

_Piper took another look at the photo and of their mother. She gazed at the way she was holding the mysterious baby, it was comforting._

_She had the baby tight in her grip like she didn't want to let her go, she was looking down at the little face wrapped up in the comforter. She was smiling, but the gesture didn't reach her eyes._

_It was sad, bittersweet and forlorn. Piper didn't know why but as she carried on staring at the way the older woman held on to that unknown baby, one thing was clear._

_It was a mother's hold._

"_No"_

_She turned to look at Phoebe who was still staring at the picture_

"_No, I…..I mean, it can't be…..It could just be someone else's baby, a friends. She might have been babysitting."_

_Phoebe listened to Pipers ramblings as she nodded, she could have been right but there was one thing still wrong._

"_Why is Sam there?"_

_That silenced the older woman as she looked back a few seconds later, she shook her head._

"_No…..Phoebe it's just not possible. I don't believe it."_

_Phoebe reached over intent on getting a closer look._

"_You may be right, I mean it could just be-"_

_She froze as she was sucked into a premonition. Piper stood back quickly as to not disturb her, she waited until the other woman came out of what she saw and Piper immediately bent back down after seeing the colour drain from her face._

"_Phoebe" She waited for her to speak but got no answer as the younger woman took in deep breathes. She waited a few more minutes before trying again._

"_Phoebe" This time she got a response as she looked up to her,_

"_Wha was it what did you see?" It was quiet for a few moments as Phoebe suddenly started to shake her head,_

"_No, no, no, no…..No it can't be true. She couldn't have."_

_Piper now looked at her perplexed as Phoebe suddenly got to her feet leaving Piper still knelt._

"_Phoebe what are yo-" She stopped as the younger woman moved and was across the room at the book already as Piper could only watch still confused as she looked on as Phoebe flipped through the book determination in her eyes until she came to the page. She moved away and got the candles lightening them quickly and placing them down in a circle as the other woman could only watch as she moved to the book again._

"_What are you doing?" She got no answer as instead, Phoebe recited the spell that summoned the one person who came down more times than most and turned as bright lights swirled around becoming brighter as a figure appeared from the middle leaving behind the form of their gram's the matriarch of their family as Penny Halliwell smiled at her last two living granddaughters._

"_Phoebe…..Piper" She smiled again but noticed that the youngest didn't return the gesture as she looked to Piper who still bore the same confused expression she had five minutes before_

"_What's wrong" She was shocked to hear Phoebe laugh, as it was humorless and sounded sarcastic._

"_What's wrong…..You wanna know what's wrong?"_

_The dead woman nodded as Piper still didn't know what was going on spoke up loudly,_

"_Hey!" They both turned to look at her as she smiled, "Yeah still here, can someone let me know what the hell is going on" She asked as Penny shrugged._

"_Your guess is as good as mine. I don't know if you have noticed, but your sister is staring at me like if I wasn't already dead. I would surely be on my way to being."_

_Another snort came from the side as this time Penny and Piper turned to stare at the younger woman who was still giving the same glare. This time Penny wasn't having it._

"_Now look here, I don't know what is your problem or why you have summoned me but if you don't give me an answer soon and cut the attitude then I will be going back"_

_They both faced off as Piper looked from one to the other, nothing happened for a moment with neither giving up as Piper didn't expect Penny to as she was, well she wasn't still classed the matriarch for nothing even if she was deceased as Phoebe finally moved and quickly snatched the photo from Piper who protested only to shut up as she saw the one thing she never thought ever possible. Even in the world of magic._

_Phoebe moved back closer to the older woman who had stepped out of the circle becoming corporeal before moving back slightly as the picture Phoebe held was lifted in front of her._

"_Whose this grams?"_

_The other woman peered at the picture and the rare occurrence Piper never thought could happen. Happened as suddenly all the color vanished from her face and for a woman who was already pale skinned and dead, that was an achievement._

"_Don't know what you mean" Came the reply as Piper now stood. She knew her grams could be sneaky and hide stuff but the way she quickly refuted the picture was a bit too fast even for her and so now knew something was up_

"_Don't lie" Phoebe shot back as the middle witch moved closer still watching the ghost squirm. _

"_You know who she is,"_

"_I don't kno-"_

"_I had a premonition!" Phoebe shouted cutting her off and making Piper stare wide eyed, never had she dared to interrupt grams not even Prue did that and she was the toughest out of them all._

_The older woman could do nothing but fall silent as Phoebe held the one thing in her hand that she knew would bring about all the effort they went to covering up the secret. And of course she would get a vision from it._

"_Grams" This time Piper spoke as she stood by Phoebe. Both watched as the other woman sunk slightly and took the picture out of Phoebes grip and looked down at it, eyeing the baby she had only ever held once._

"_It's not my place to say" She finally spoke. The other two glanced at each other at the way the older woman smiled slightly as she gazed at the image._

"_I know" Phoebe replied as Piper watched. She was starting to get what she maybe thought, was the gist of was going on. But she hoped against hope that it wasn't true._

"_I think then the person who can should be here to tell us" She said as the other woman looked up and after a minute staring at them both with Phoebe's strong resolve and Piper's slow realization of what might it be. She nodded as a few seconds later more bright lights appeared and the shape of their mother stood next to Penny._

_Patty stared at both her girls with a sad smile, she knew this day would come. But she had hoped that maybe it was under better circumstances…..Or maybe some valiant hope, never at all._

"_Hi girls" She spoke quietly looking from one to the other, she could see what she had never wanted to see in any of her children's eyes before. Disappointment._

_Immediately she found it hard to speak._

"_Why" Was the first thing Phoebe said to her as Patty stumbled for a moment, Piper watched both and saw the look in her eyes and knew that this thing, whatever…She now had an idea. Was big as for all the things she had ever saw from her younger sister, disappointment wasn't one of them and especially for their mother._

"_I…..I did it for you…For all of you" The other woman spoke after a minute._

"_Us?" Patty nodded,_

"_I had to…..For both really, for you and for her, if they ever found out." _

_Piper's little feeling turned more prominent the more their mother spoke. She had quickly dismissed the idea before but now, oh how she still hoped it wasn't true._

"_It was unthinkable…For us to be together let alone have…."She cut off again as this time Piper had a pretty good idea, her eyes went blurry as she realized they had filled with tears as Penny looked on sadly._

_Phoebe looked down at the photo she had took back of grams and raised it to Patty's eye level. She and she was sure now Piper, had pretty much gathered who the baby in the picture was, she felt sick and her heart was in her mouth but she wanted to hear the one person who knew it real to say it, that way when it was said out loud. She and Piper could deal with it together._

"_The baby" She said slowly as Patty's tears had spilled over as she faced her youngest, "Who is it"_

_Piper had taken Phoebes free hand as they both faced their older family members. There was nothing but silence save the occasional sniff from either Piper of Patty._

"_Who is she" Phoebe repeated as Penny had now placed her hand on her daughters shoulder, Patty shook her head as she faced phoebe._

"_You know" She whispered, as both younger woman stared at her with the younger one scoffing._

"_That may be but you need to tell us. You owe us that much." Patty nodded mutely as her tears became heavier._

"_Please…Don't hate me"_

_Both sisters braced themselves for what they already now worked out but was going to hit them hard anyway._

"_I can tell them" Penny said as Patty shook her head, she looked back to them._

"_The baby" She repeated one more time as the air grew thick with tension before finally, Patty spoke quietly._

"…_She's your sister…..Your baby sister."_


	2. Explanation's

**Two chapters in two day's, I'm on a roll, not sure if it will be a daily update but if enough people like it then we shall see.**

**Anyway here is the next chapter and i hope everyone likes it.**

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Both piper and Phoebe stood staring at the ghostly figures stunned. None of them quite believing what they had just been told, they had a sister? Another sister, one that wasn't Prue and who was very much alive.

Patty who had just revealed the secret she had pretty much kept to her grave watched them apprehensively waiting for any sign of a reaction as was Penny who eyed them wearily. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Phoebe shook her head and spoke.

"…..Urm…..What?" She already knew and had heard perfectly but she wasn't expecting it to hit so hard and had to ask the obvious even though it seemed redundant. "We have another sister"

The older woman just nodded for the most part, something told her that saying it out loud again wasn't anything they wanted to hear again.

None spoke again as the news sunk in no one knew what to say.

"Ho….Wh….I mean….Just what" Phoebe stuttered again, she looked up and Patty's heart broke at the look in her eyes as she started to speak more.

"How could you keep something like this from us" Patty again didn't say anything as her youngest….Or second, started to rant.

"Why the hell did you say nothing!" She shouted just as Penny intervened

"Phoebe" The other woman looked at her,

"That is no way to speak to your mother" But she didn't expect her to laugh. Before her glare turned back on her

"Don't even try it, you kept this just as much as she did, if anything you're both just as much to blame. So don't even dare tell me to keep calm right now or how I speak….I have every right at this moment."

Penny to Patty's shock shrunk back and just nodded, letting Phoebe rant carry on.

"All this time we had another sister and you saw fit to just keep it to yourselves?" She knew she was repeating her words but she couldn't really find anyway to move on from that, Piper stayed silent as the youngest got more louder.

"What possessed you to keep this from us….This is our sister we had a right to know her,"

Both older women kept their heads down. They knew this, they had been through it, when the baby was right here in the attic those twenty one years ago, both were sad at what they had to do but they had no other choice. If anyone, especially the Elders had found out about her, then they didn't know what the consequences would be. Their main fear was that the powers the girls had would be stripped as punishment.

That under no circumstances was to happen, and as much as it killed them all. The only other option was to hide the little girl, keep her hidden from anything and everything magical. It was the hardest thing patty had to do, but for the good of everyone she had to give her up.

Leaving her in the care of that nun was the worst pain she had felt, even dying didn't equal to that. But she had to be strong and act like nothing was wrong. She knew from Sam that the elders sometimes checked in and watched so to keep them from being suspicious she busied herself with the three children she had, but never forgot about the forth they would never know.

"It was to keep everyone safe" She finally spoke gaining the attention from Phoebe as she looked back to her

"What?"

"To keep everyone safe, I had to give her up,"

The youngest shook her head, unable to process that. "Why?"

Patty took in a deep breath which was pointless as she didn't need to and carried on.

"…..It was unheard of and against the rules for Sam and me"

"Sam…..what has he got to do with this?"

"After your father and I split. Sam, he was there to help me get over the hurt and after a while. We grew close."

"How close" Phoebe didn't like where this was going but she wanted the truth and so had to listen to everything that had been kept from them.

Patty sighed and paused before continuing,

"Enough to have a child with him."

Phoebe scoffed and turned away, "That close"

Penny didn't like the fact that her daughter and whitelighter had gotten in so deep with each other, but said nothing as what good would it do now? What was done was done.

Piper who had been silent throughout all of this but had been listening, finally spoke.

"When"

All three looked at her but she kept her head down.

"Sorry"

"When" She lifted her head to glare at the one person she thought she knew, "When did you have this…Baby"

Patty looked at her steely glare and bit her lip, she knew all this was her fault but it didn't stop it from ripping her inside.

"Her birthday is August 2nd, 1980"

Piper nodded slowly but was working it out in her head, their mother had said that this was after she and their dad had split but if she could remember rightly, that was also the year that their father had tried to reconcile, make it work. And Patty had accepted, though only for them to finish two three months later, this time for good.

"You were already having the baby when dad came back" She said to her as Phoebe spun around, that she had not picked up on and was now staring at the other woman.

"What?"

Piper now moved slightly as her anger levels rose higher with each passing minute.

"That was the time dad came back remember, that three month separation. I should have realized Sam was round a lot more that time I just thought he was looking out for you. And he was wasn't he. Because you were having his baby!" She shouted now at Patty who was silently crying as Phoebe now had moved closer to Piper unable to be anywhere near her mom.

"Is that true"

Both stood staring with looks of distain on their faces as Patty simply nodded.

"I'm…..So, so sorry"

"Save it! How could you, did dad know?" She asked as Patty shook her head.

"I….I didn't know what I was thinking, I thought that if we stayed together I don't know. Maybe nothing bad would happen if I passed the baby off as his."

"Oh my god" Both looked horrified at her words. Even Penny was now staring at her a little hesitance. She knew Patty was a little emotional at that time but she didn't know about that.

"I bet Sam didn't like that did he?" Piper spat sarcastically as Patty shook her head,

"No…..He shouted at me"

Penny raised her brow, so that was what all the arguments were about?

"He said he wasn't having some other man bringing up his baby and if need be, he would go tell the Elders themselves."

"So you broke up with dad again….To appease that…." She was going to say pathetic excuse of a whitelighter but then something came to mind.

"Wasn't he and Elder himself?"

Both Phoebe and Penny looked at Piper as Patty nodded slightly.

"So he set the rules yet broke them himself" She laughed humourlessly "Hypocrite"

Patty shook her head. "He had only been promoted to and elder a few months before."

"Then why did he come back? I thought once they became an elder they weren't allowed back down?" This time Phoebe spoke as the other woman nodded.

"He came down to tell me that, and he couldn't come to help anymore. It was only meant to be a hug but then." She cut off as they knew the rest.

"And that's why you got back with dad….Because he couldn't be around anymore" Once more Patty nodded,

"But why did he come back…..I remember him being back here, it was only a few times. But he came back if had already gone why return."

"He came back because he felt a pull, once a whitelighter goes off radar, clips their wings or becomes and Elder. Then they lose the connection they had to any charges they might have had."

"So"

"So he came back because it had been almost a month and he still felt a tug to something on earth and he came back to ask why."

"And that's when you told him about the baby" She nodded.

"And dad" another nod,

"And that's when he said no to him raising the baby."

Patty didn't say anything this time.

"What then?"

"We tried to think of ways of how to solve the problem without anyone finding out, he had to keep sneaking away….it was hard. In the end we decided that the only way was to place the baby with another family, that way we would know she was looked after and no one would get hurt."

"A little late for that now don't you think" Phoebe retorted sharply

"We had to be quick otherwise if they caught on to where Same was going then they would come and find her, we wrapped her up in the baby blanket put some cloaking spells on her and took her to the local church. We knew they would find her a good home. If they had no reason to see her as anything other than a normal baby then they wouldn't know."

"And then you carried on like nothing ever happened" Piper said once she had finished.

"Please Piper, Phoebe. You had to understand what was at risk. Your heritage, your powers, I couldn't be the cause of that if you lost them."

"And what about her…..This baby, she's out there somewhere thinking that her real family don't give a dam. That we don't care…..we never had that chance you took it from us!"

"Your powers-"

"DO YOU THINK WE CARE ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW!" Piper screamed at her silencing them all.

"All magic has done for us lately is tear this family apart, it has taken Prue from us and has caused nothing but misery. And now we find we could have had another sister and instead of thinking about her….Or us for that matter you decide to dump her at the church!"

Hearing her children shout at her for her regrets caused patty to start crying again as she stood there and took it. It was less than she deserved and still wasn't enough.

"Did you ever stop to think that we didn't want these powers? That instead of having this, destiny and magic we wouldn't have wanted another family member? If I could I would have gave that up….These premonitions if I had known I would have traded."

That shocked both Patty and Penny who stood wide eyed at her declaration. Piper was silent again she was thinking, in the end she agreed. Nothing was worth the loss of any family she had be it through death by unnatural causes or stupid mistakes. She had to laugh inwardly at the irony. Twice now she had lost a sister, and both due to magic.

"I just can't believe you, the last thing I ever expected was this and not from you" Phoebe shook her head, she wanted to cry but she bit her lip refusing to, the looks she got made Patty want to cry all over but she had done enough of that and she didn't deserve any sympathy.

"Do you know where she is"

Phoebe asked as piper lifted her head up, she may have been angry and upset at the news of a new sibling but that didn't mean she wanted to see her at least not yet anyway.

Both looked at Patty as she shook her head, this had them confused.

"What do you mean no…."I thought you could see everything up there, unless you don't bother to watch her... Once she was gone you just forgot is that it"

"That is enough Phoebe!" Penny snapped in defending her daughter, she knew first hand just how much Patty wanted the baby and even when fate didn't grant her that she could still watch over her from the heavens but when one could find her it just made the hurt come back even more and she had to watch as Patty broke down once more.

"So then what do you mean you don't watch her"

The older woman sighed and spoke for the crying woman in her arms.

"We don't watch over her because we can't."

Now a little less angry and more curious Phoebe turned to them even Piper who had looked away faced them.

"We can't find her" The older woman supplied now fully confusing them both.

"What do you mean, how is that even possible." Penny shrugged,

"I think….Well what I can guess is that the cloaking spells placed on her was a little more potent then we first thought and, I didn't want to say anything for fear of upsetting you."  
She held on to Patty a little tighter

"But I think Sam as a last minute reassurance, must have used his powers of shielding, as and Elder he was a lot more stronger then when a whitelighter so that coupled with the spells we cast has made her impossible to find much less watch over."

The news shocked both sisters who didn't say anything, none if it made sense surely with them being up in heaven they should have been able to at least sense her? They had pretty much the entire city to see and yet….Nothing.

Phoebe looked back at them as Penny was consoling Patty as she watched the interaction. It was clear that their mother was torn about it and the little twinge of guilt she felt sprang up but she quickly pushed it down. They had been kept in the dark about this and for the good of everyone or not, she would have gladly taken whatever consequence.

"So what do you want us to do" Piper asked finally after her long spell of silence and lifted her head to look at them, she was feeling all sorts of emotions and she needed a hell of a long time to process them but at that moment she felt like they had found that photo and consequently the truth, for a reason.

Both older women were silent for a while before very slowly, Penny spoke.

"Girls we both know that with everything that has happened, and with Prue…..With us," She saw Piper flinch and nodded sadly. She knew it would still hurt the older woman hard still and added with this she didn't really know what she would do.

"Find her" Patty cut in suddenly as they all looked at her, Piper had to laugh at that.

"I'm sorry….What now"

"I know that you're hurting, and your angry and you have every right to be, but your still the charmed ones,"

That caused Piper to laugh even louder as she threw up her hands.

"Charmed? I don't know where you've been since last week but in case you haven't noticed. WE LOST PRUE!"

Phoebe stood back slightly at the level of noise as patty nodded,

"I know…..Sweetie I know"

"Don't call me that….Not now" She lifted her hand to warn her

"I understand but still….Your witches, and right now with just the two of you that makes you vulnerable."

"Don't give us that crap alright. We get it off Leo we don't need it off you,"

"But honey he's right, sooner or later the demons will be back."

"JUST…..Just…..Shut up alright," She snapped staring at them.

"You tell us this, right after Prue's death and you still expect us to care about demons? News flash, I don't. I don't care about them or this new sister, or anything right now. You don't have the right to do this to us…..Just….Go away"

She turned and left the room as the others watched her go and the door to her room slamming a minute later leaving Phoebe alone. She turned to face them.

"She doesn't mean that" She said as a way of excuse, they both nodded.

"At the moment she does but later it might be different." Patty looked at her more intensely

"You'll find her won't you?" The youngest opened her mouth to speak but saw the desperate pleading in her mother's eyes and something in wanted to and so nodded.

Both older women smiled as she agreed but she than added

"Just one thing though…How"

Patty bit her lip, she didn't have a clue. She couldn't ask Sam though she knew he had been the last to see the baby. She had been his only child, even when he was alive he had never had children and so was so happy to have her but with all that went on….He took it hard. She didn't even know where he was.

Phoebe deflated when she saw the shake their heads and dropped hers down to the floor.

She had been trying to come up with a way, she knew that Piper would be un cooperative at this time so was on her own….If she was going to do this then she had to get some answers.

"Can I tell Leo"

They looked at her as she spoke. Penny looked a little guarded at the question and looked to Patty who bit her lip again deliberating on whether to say yes. She knew he was lined closely to the Elder's and so if he found the truth and they asked, he had a duty to inform them.

"It's just that….You've given me this huge task. And with no clue on how to go about it, I mean how the hell I'm I meant to find her if no one else can?" She asked a little desperation in her voice as Patty moved to come closer, Phoebe stood back a little making her pause. She was still upset and hurt so didn't feel in any mood to give or receive and form of contact with the one who kept this from her.

Patty saw the reaction and nodded sadly standing back next to Patty.

"I just know, if anyone can find her it's you" She said, Phoebe didn't look hopeful prompting Patty to speak again.

"Yes….You can tell Leo"

This made them both look at her as Penny went to argue.

"No mother, if this helps in any way then it's the least I can do." She told her and then back to Phoebe.

"But please, make him swear not to tell, if he does then you may lose any chance of finding her at all." The younger woman nodded and promised.

"Well what about Sam. Can't he help in any of this"

At the mention of his name Patty looked away sadly earning a confused look as Penny took over.

"No one's seen Sam ever since he brought Patty back from the church. I think it was too much for him and after that he fell of everyone's radar. He fell from grace I think because the Elders couldn't find him and went into hiding…..He really did want that little girl."

Phoebe nodded sadly feeling sorry for the missing ex – Elder. But now had no help on that department, she breathed in deeply trying to think. She wasn't going to get the answer right at that moment and so decided a coffee might help. She looked at her mother and grams before nodding and speaking.

"I will help because she is family and I want to meet her" Both other women smiled,

"But that in no way means I have forgiven you for keeping this from us. It will take some time and with the way Piper is it may take her longer. If I can get Leo to promise to keep quiet then I can maybe use his help in locating her."

"That's all we ask"

"Ok…..Well all this has made me thirsty so I'm getting a coffee and coming up with ways to try and find her" She mumbled looking helpless whilst saying it as they nodded. They had to leave anyway as they watched her make her way across the room to the door. She was just at the exit when she turned back.

"Wait"

They looked back from stepping back into the circle.

"What's her name."

They were silent for a second as a wistful smile crossed her mother's face.

"….Paige…..Her name is Paige"

This made Phoebe smile. "Another P, imagine that" She joked as they smiled back and moved into the center becoming transparent once more before bright lights shrouded them and Phoebe watched them disappear from the room. The wind extinguishing the flames she stared at the now empty room before turning away.

"Wherever you are Paige, I'll find you." She promised herself before leaving the room.

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**I would really like thoughts on this, reviews aren't necessary but they are nice and it would cheer me up to hear what people think. Thank you.**

**:D**


	3. Mission Impossible And Long awaited Talk

**Thanking everyone who was kind enough to review, here is the next chapter.**

**And doing one thing that i always keep forgetting to do, it's a wonder that I've not been sued yet, but i do not own charmed or any of it's characters.**

**Maybe if i add a few OC's than yes, them i do...**

**Back to the chapter and i hope everyone likes. **

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Phoebe sighed. It had been well over two weeks since she had taken on the task of finding the sister none knew they had. Piper had, as she predicted. Been no help what so ever she merely grunted her disdain before ranting at how they lied to them before leaving the room.

She had decided to work on herself imposed mission by herself for the first few days, to see if she could. But after the millionth time of coming up empty, she had no choice but to inform Leo. To say he was shocked was an understatement when she had finished he didn't say anything for a whole ten minutes just stood there looking like he had been slapped dumb.

She had waited patiently for him to respond until the silence was getting to her and she waved her hand in front of him he blinked a few times as her hand passed him before looking down at her still with an expression of disbelief.

"Are you sure?" She nodded.

He breathed out heavily and looked away for a minute. "Phoebe, this is serious. I mean this has never happened before."

She nodded knowing that. She had been reading up on anything that could help her but had not come across anything worthwhile. She had gone further back curious to see if there had been anything through the entire history of their family or as much of the magical history that she knew and had come up with nothing. It seemed that Paige was one of a kind.

She looked back to Leo as the whitelighter had started pacing; he still had a look of utter shock on his face as he placed his hands on his head.

"Does Piper-"

"Know? Yeah" She said nodding, "But she's still really angry at mom and grams for keeping this and so has been absolutely no help to me"

She sighed, "It's just been me so far and I'm getting nothing."

Leo frowned looking at her "What do you mean"

"What I mean is that I've tried all sorts and nothing, nada….Blank wall." This had him more confused. And watched as she started her own pacing in the little area she had pulled him into.

"Well what about scrying?" She shook her head. "Thought about it, but then realized I have nothing of hers to scry with."

"….Ok what about to call a lost witch" He stopped when Phoebe started laughing.

"What….What's so funny?" She looked at him still laughing as she shook her head, until she ended with another sigh.

"If only it was that simple" He cocked his head slightly, "What does that mean?"

"No one can find her" He narrowed his eyes on hearing that

"What?"

"When she was born….Mom placed sense protective spells on her so that it would be harder for anyone to find her and grams thinks that Sam, he must have used his Elder powers and added to that making the effects…very long lasting."

Leo breathed out, "Er….Wow, so you can't" He trailed off as Phoebe shook her head. "Nope, I've tried pretty much all the things I can think off and then some. But nothing," She looked to him a bit dejectedly.

"How the hell I'm I meant to do this with no hope. Everything I try, I just…..Worthless" She placed her hands on her head the frustration she felt at failing coming back increased as the whitelighter sensed her annoyance and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Your mom wouldn't have asked if she didn't think you could" She listened to his words, but still didn't think them any help.

"But what can I do Leo; I've tried everything and still get nothing." He smiled in sympathy

"Don't give up, your meant to find her; if your mother and grams have faith in you, then you will succeed." This time she smiled a little more genuinely.

"Thank you Leo" He nodded returning the smile before taking his hand away,

"It's just….Wow. I never thought something like this possible." He was still smiling as he spoke before it gradually faded and he looked at the younger woman with now wide eyes.

"The Elders….They don't know do they?" Phoebe heard his tone and shook her head, he looked up to the ceiling a little carefully and then spoke more hesitantly.

"But what about now…..Surely you know they might be watching" She shook her head again before speaking, "I placed a small enchantment on the house. They can still see it and us, but can't hear what we are saying"

He nodded but still looked worried, he bit his lip as they fell into silence as both were thinking about the implications of what all of this now meant should they happen to learn the truth.

"They will know eventually Phoebe" He finally spoke as she looked at him she bit her lip, nodding that some way or another they would, but she had hoped it was much later so that she might have some leeway on having some sort of lead. She took in a deep breath knowing what she now had to do, this was always tricky.

Looking back to him he was eyeing her wearily as he took in her expression and the hint of pleading in her eyes before realizing what the look meant. And shook his head.

"Oh no….No, no, no, no."

"Leo come on. I need your help, please."

He looked at her, she really was desperate. And sighed, this was going to come back and hit him hard at some point. But he had to take into account that though they had, had no demon attack in a while. Sooner or later they would strike and as their whitelighter, he had their safety to think of. They were down a sister and that made them weak. If this new sister meant that the charmed ones could be at full strength again then he really didn't have a choice.

He breathed out heavily; this new sister might have been their only and pretty much last chance. But she was a secret, the Elders had no clue about her, and if she just suddenly turned up as he had no doubt she would. Then it would come out that their rules had been broken.

Sooner or later someone was going to pay the consequences

Finally nodding his consent she smiled and hugged him.

"Oh thank you, thank you….A million time's thank you" He nodded uncomfortably before she pulled back.

"Alright what do I have to do?" She paused, her mom said that under no circumstances should the Elders above find out or her chances will be severely hindered if not stopped. And the spell wouldn't last otherwise then would know that something was up, and them being them would demand to know.

"I need you to try and deflect the Elders attentions should they suddenly be interested" She said as he gaped slightly.

"I know, I know it's a lot to ask and you could get into trouble but really Leo, you are the only one that can do it….I wouldn't ask if I didn't need help."

Trouble was right, he could have his wings clipped for this, it was more than a lot. And really she should be getting Piper to help. But once more he nodded knowing that he was the best to run interference

"Fine…Fine" He wasn't happy about it but had agreed so couldn't go back on his word. She gave a little clap and smiled brightly before carrying on.

"And one more thing," He looked at her in disbelief, "More?" She nodded.

"I need you to keep this from Piper, just for a little while until she come around.

That he had to shake at. It was one thing the Elders, but his wife was another entirely. He had seen her mood lately and it had worsened at the news but he hadn't known until an hour ago, he had wondered what it was that had her perpetually angry and now on knowing the reason. Could sympathize with her.

"Again I know it's a lot but I'm working on that, it's been nearly a week and yes, this was kept from us all our life's but once the first demon attacks and they will." She saw his look knowing that he had been thinking of that to.

"And yes, I know that Prue was the strongest of us, and I'm not sure how half a whitelighter will be any help with increasing on that, but she is a witch none the less. And we need that for the power of three. Once Piper sees that she will come round."

She raised her head and saw the pointed look he was giving her and narrowed her gaze at him.

"She will Leo, I just need to keep giving the little hints….You know butter her up a little and she will give in."

He didn't like those odds as the Halliwell stubbornness was legendary but nodded all the same. He would rather let her go up against an angry Piper; he would take his chances with the Elders.

"Right….Now that I think all has been covered, I think it is time for dinner" She smiled as he chuckled, "You go ahead, I have to go see a charge" He said letting her go past. Just as she got to the stairs he called out, making her look back.

"Good luck" He said making her chuckle this time before he orbed out. She made her way down to the kitchen where Piper was busy finishing up the dinner she had been making as a way of trying to get rid of the anger that still coursed through her body.

Phoebe took a seat opposite her and smiled as the other woman hummed her greeting and then returning to her task as Phoebe took a deep breath and prepared to undertake the mission of swaying Piper to her cause.

"So…."

The older woman looked up at hearing her talk.

"What" Phoebe shrugged her shoulders, nothing…..Just wondering, how you have been" Piper looked at her and rolled her eyes before replying.

"Pissed off, angry, betrayed, annoyed…..More pissed off. Pretty much how I feel every day now." She bit out before looking up.

"And what about you, how are you feeling today Pheebs" She stared expectantly as the younger woman swallowed the lump in her throat before shrugging and mumbling.

"Fine….You know, just…..Fine" She looked away as Piper nodded,

"Fine….Your fine. Well, I'm glad that you feel fine it's not like we haven't lost a sister or anything." Phoebe looked up and was about to snap back that it had been over three weeks since they had buried Prue, and though it did hurt, still moping about t wasn't going to bring her back or allow them to try and move on. But on seeing the look she was getting she had to fight the urge to retort back and so sad nothing.

Instead she thanked Piper for making the dinner as they sat on opposite sides of the table in silence each in their own thoughts until Phoebe couldn't stand the silence and so began to make small talk in the gradual hopes of talking her around.

Piper knew what she was doing and so sat across getting steadily annoyed with each less than subtle hint that the other woman was dropping about trying to find the now, not so secret sister. She kept her tongue right up until Phoebe hinted that maybe she should try and talk to their mother before she snapped.

"Stop it Phoebe…..Just, STOP IT!" It was silent in the room as the younger woman shut up and was now looking at her as Piper threw down her fork and sat back.

"You want me to try and talk to the woman who had kept us in the dark for so god dam long that at this moment, I don't know if she is the mom I knew."

"She is….Piper; she is still the same woman. But she had to keep this or all of us." She was cut off by Piper laughing bitterly.

"So what? All of a sudden you agree with her, you said it yourself she was a selfish bitch."

The younger woman nodded, that was indeed what she said but at the end of the day Patty did what she did to save not just them but also Paige.

"I don't agree with her Piper, far from it. but I can only guess at what she might have been feeling, Piper you know what those Elders are like they abide those rules like it's their life and what do you think might have happened if they did find out…Hmm?"

Piper didn't say anything allowing the other woman to carry on

"They would have done far worse than just take out powers, they would have taken Paige."

"Paige?" Piper had to speak up, making Phoebe bit her lip. Piper didn't know her name, dam.

"Yeah that's her name" This caused the older woman to glare

"You know her name?" Phoebe nodded slowly.

"I asked Mom what is was before they left." Again Piper said nothing.

"They would have made an example of and most likely Mom to, we would have never seen her and god knows whatever they would have done to Mom as a result. So no Piper I don't agree with her keeping it from us, but I sure as hell understand her decision."

She was getting so angry and frankly had, had enough of Piper's selfish attitude and so gave up on trying on keeping things subtle.

"Now I know you don't want to think about it or even hear it, but I'm saying it so you're going to listen." Piper stared wide eyed at the younger woman. Never had she seen her this upfront about anything, not since the whole Roger incident but even then this was more powerful.

"Whether you like it or not Paige is our sister and like it or not Mom asked us to find her. Now I know your still to pissed to bother but I'm not. And I'm going to, whether you help me I'm not rightly bothered but just so you know, it may have been a week or two but sooner or later those demons will return. And when they do they won't care we have lost a sister; they will be looking to finish us off, and seeing as your still to dam hung on being pissed at everyone. Our powers will not work."

She bit her tongue at the scoff she heard but carried on nonetheless.

"And if they don't work then we will not work and that saying will be giving them a dam free pass at us." Still getting noting she held on to her increasing anger.

"We haven't even gotten the demon that killed Prue in the first place" That got Piper's attention as she stood glared.

"Don't. You. Dare"

"NO Piper, I've had enough of this." She pushed away from the table and started pacing.

"That son of a bitch is still out there and he is most likely laughing at us for what he did, and what are we doing? Shouting at each other. That is what he wants he wants us to be weak so he can finish us off easier." She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair

"Look….We're doing it now" She held out her hand, "It's already working, he might as well come now for all the good we are" She let out a humorless laugh as Piper stood silently, a little guilt starting to creep up her body.

"I know it's not what you want right now, but it's not a matter of whether of what you want. We need her, we swore we would get our revenge on that bastard, and so far we have done nothing but tear each other down.

She moved across the room and picked up Pipers hand.

"It may not be the original power of three, buts it the power of three nonetheless, and it's what we need to fully avenge Prue." Piper still hadn't talked and so she was taking it as a good sign.

"Now I'm going to keep on searching for her and as I said whether you help or not, I can't make you. But it would at least try and make it easier." She rubbed the back of her hand and looked up to the other woman who had been watching her.

"I can't to this and still be at odds Piper, I just can't we both need to try and get some sense of normalcy for the good of our powers and so when they do come we can at least hold them off the best we can until we find her."

She smiled as Piper finally nodded. She was in no way ready to accept this new sister, and she didn't know if she was for a long time. But what Phoebe said was right. If she wanted any sort of justice for Prue than she would try for both their sake's to help as much as she could.

After making peace for what seemed like an eternity that night, they both sat down and finished their meals. Phoebe would respect that Piper wasn't ready to talk or forgive their mother, neither did she but at least she was on board with finding Paige albeit reluctantly, and even with the low blow of using Prue as leverage. She didn't think it would have that easy to talk her around, but using the recent death and the talk of the promised revenge they could get, had gotten her a uneasy compliance at best.

It wasn't a full co-operation but it was a start.

After dinner once the washing was done both were tired and so decided to go to bed, as they both bid each other goodnight before moving to their rooms as phoebe closed the door. She leaned on the solid wood, eyes closed and breathed in deeply, she knew that only half of her task was complete and now that she had Piper's somewhat help, she knew the real hard part was still to be had.

She just hoped that Leo could hold his end of the deal as she knew that even one slip when up there would put this mission in jeopardy and maybe even a few lives.

Sliding into bed she reached over and switched off the lamp rolling over, as she closed her eyes. Tomorrow was a new day and one she was determined to be a success.

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**As i'm not to fond of this chapter, getting People's thought's would be great. Again it's not something i'm going to want in ransom for another chapter but any i get do help with the inspiration to keep writing, thank you.**


	4. First Attack's

**Thank you to all that reviewed, they mean a lot and it's so nice to see everyone enjoying the story. :)**

**Here's the next chapter and sorry it's a little late, been busy but hopefully the next one should be out sooner which in turn will make up for this one being late.**

**I don't own charmed, if i did it would have never ended. And Paige would have been a hell of a lot better then what she was on the show.**

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The day wasn't the success she had imagined

She woke up late which in turn made her late to work and resulting in Elise shouting at her, the laptop in which she had painstakingly sat at for hours replying to letter gave out and was declared broke. This of course was after she had been charge $15 dollars to get a tech guy to come and tell her that, she nearly cried at that seeing as she didn't back up her work.

By the time she got home two hours late than she would have liked, it was to find a note on the side from Piper telling her that she had to make sure the repairs at the club went ok and so she wouldn't be home to make tea. That meant she had to find her own food and that scared her.

She had no idea how to cook it had always been Piper even when Prue was around she had never so much as touched the kitchen for fearing Pipers wrath and so had never actually learned how to make anything, in New York she had lived consistently on take out's so this….This was a challenge.

She turned to the empty kitchen which had now turned into a war zone and looked around to the fridge. She bit her lip but narrowed her eyes in determination. She could do this; she was Phoebe Halliwell witch extraordinaire. She tackled demons bi-weekly so something as trivial as 'cooking' shouldn't scare her, with that she smiled and moved further into the room with a new energy. She could do this.

When Piper got in later that night she came into the kitchen to find Phoebe sitting at the island scattered with empty take out boxes. She smiled as she greeted the other woman who smiled in return and went back to licking the ice cream covered spoon as Piper made her way to the kettle and switched it on before turning to face her.

"…..So"

Phoebe edged around in her seat as she heard the older woman speak and frowned at the amused smirk she wore

"What" Piper lifted her chin to the small pile of takeout dishes before looking back at her again.

"So I take even writing the word cooking has you stumped" She asked as Phoebe went to defend her reasoning,

"I'll have you know I have had a very stressful day today so forgive me if a little ice cream and take out is what helps" She finished feeling a little justified as the other woman snorted.

"Stressful?" Phoebe nodded, " Yes, stressful. And so sue me if I can't be bothered to cook."

She turned back to the remainders of her ice cream but not before casting a glaring look at Piper as she heard the words 'Can't cook' and 'fire hazard' aimed at her as Piper went about making her coffee before joining her in the middle.

They spoke a little about each other's bad days and how both were worse than the others until the bright blue and white shining light next to them had both turning to see Leo materializing from the orbs as he smiled at them.

"Hi honey" Piper smiled back as he moved around to greet her with a kiss before looking to them both.

"Had a good day" He nodded a little

"Just a few charges in Europe that needed my help…The usual" He said as they nodded.

"The Elders did want to speak with me though" At this Phoebe's smile faded.

"What about" She asked hoping that they hadn't found out, as he faced her

"They were just worried about the lack of demon activity and so just warned me to tell you that something big may be happening." Piper grunted displeased.

"Oh sure, the one time we get a break and its doom all round" She muttered as the whitelighter nodded but turned when Phoebe spoke up.

"So they haven't….." She trailed off as Leo, getting what she meant. Shook his head

"No just to advise you to be alert" He didn't want to speak to obviously in case they happened to be watching, but when he let they had a meeting and so was sure they was distracted.

The younger woman nodded relieved that so far their mission was still safe, "That actually was why I came here" She looked up at hearing his voice once more.

"What"

"The little task you had me do" He spoke quietly as Piper stared at him.

"Oh so coming home to see you're ever loving wife wasn't the main point" She asked disgruntled as he turned quickly to try and appease her,

"No honey, you're always the top priority" He replied as she glared at him. "You know, unless its charges but you are the reason I come home." He smiled sweetly at her, she crossed her arms and sat back in her seat.

"You lucky…..This time" " She finally said nodding his forgiveness as he smiled, "Thank you sweetie" She hummed her acknowledgement in the form of a kiss before Phoebe poked his arm.

"So?" He nodded and braced his weight on the side as both now turned to listen to him, Phoebe had told him that Piper had reluctantly agreed to help in their task so it was ok to speak in front of her something which both agreed was surprising given Piper's recent change in moods but it did make things easier instead of sneaking around and invoking her wrath.

"Well" He breathed in deeply and prepared to give them the bad news before looking from one to the other.

"No" He watched as Phoebe deflated and put a hand on her shoulder in sympathy. He knew just how hard she had been working to try and find Paige and though his help was making the search easier, he along with the younger sister had no luck in anything they did.

"You mean" She asked looking up, as he shook his head again.

"I'm sorry I've looked pretty much everywhere that I can remotely think of that Sam might be. Either he's more skilled at hiding then I thought. Or he may be"

This time it was Piper who had spoken as she asked the next question.

"What?" He glanced at her, "A dark lighter" He didn't need to finish the sentence as they took in deep breathes. The news put them back to square one as the list of things they could do was rapidly becoming more shorter they had tried all the ways they knew from scrying, to calling a lost witch but that didn't work and so Leo had tried sensing but that was impossible as he had never met her an had no idea where she was.

Patty had been no help, Piper was still mad and so wasn't in the room when phoebe and Leo spoke to her again but all she could think off was reversing the spells they had put on her, that gave them hope until it was dashed when Patty also told them that it had been direct contact when she was a baby and so in order to take them off they would have to find her first.

Phoebe growled in frustration after that and stormed out of the room. How the hell was they supposed to get anywhere. The last hope had been Sam as the Elder had been the last one to have placed Paige under any kind of sensing cover and so they had set about trying to find him as he wasn't in the heavens with the rest of the Elders who had also been trying to locate his whereabouts.

But after three days of searching with Leo going pretty much all over the American continent under the guise of helping charges and doing tasks for the charmed ones. He too came back empty handed.

This set them back to nothing, as they had nothing to begin with only a photo of the untraceable baby who by now was a grown woman, and very unhelpful people. Phoebe sighed loudly and placed her head on the cool tile of the table. Both the others watched her in sympathy as they knew just how hard she had been trying, it also made Piper feel a little guilty as she had promised that she would help but so far hadn't done a single thing.

"Don't worry Phoebe we won't give up until we find her" Leo said only to be cut off as she lifted her head.

"Will we…..Will we though, I just feel like we keep going around in circle and….It will all be for nothing." She finished quietly looking down. The others didn't know how to answer when they knew that it might be a possibility and so remained silent. The day had been tiring on her and so the ice cream she had been enjoying suddenly didn't taste as good or help her anymore so pushing herself from her seat she stood.

"I think I'm gonna go bed," Piper looked at her and then the clock. "But it's only ten" Phoebe nodded.

"Yeah it's been a long day and I think I'm just going to go sleep. Get back some of the hours lot you know. And who knows maybe tomorrow might be better." She smiled weakly but it didn't reach her eyes as she breathed out deeply and after bidding them goodnight turned and left the room feeling more defeated than ever and two sorry people behind.

She made her way up the stairs and reached her room shutting the door behind her and reveled in the silence. At times like this she really did need Cole.

But he was hiding out in the underworld, backstabbing the source had left a rather hefty price on his head and he refused to bring her into his troubles. They had already lost one sister they didn't need to lose anymore he said. Sometimes he was so sweet and yet so conflicted.

Right now though she really did need to hold him, he didn't know about the secret sister as they had not been in contact and she had thought that maybe with him being down there he could help, but realized that if the Elders didn't know about Paige than no demons certainly wouldn't either which was all the best considering. And so vetoed the thought instead just deciding to wait until he was free enough to return home.

Slipping into bed she shut off her light and lay down on the pillows. Normally she wasn't the kind of person to give up, after all she had gotten Piper to clean the attic after Prue's death and she didn't even feel like doing it herself and so was proud of that accomplishment. And so this to her seemed like a challenge.

She didn't know just how much trouble this had been causing her, and after what her mother had said she had every hope and belief that she could do it…..Until now.

The more brick walls and dead ends they came across the more she was starting to slowly wonder, was it all worth it? It wasn't a matter of whether she could as it was starting to become clear that she couldn't, but was it worth all the hassle and the draining of emotions that she had been feeling. She just felt like giving in.

Looking out of the window she could see the rise of the moon as it hung in the sky illuminating the room with silver. She watched it for a while slowly going over what they had done so far and where they had gone wrong, but nothing try as she might. Came to mind.

She knew though deep down she couldn't give up, not when they knew. They….She just couldn't leave her out there. She may not know Paige and what might happen _if_ they find her but Phoebe knew she couldn't give up. She just had to take a break that's all, rest and tackle it again with more determination to succeed.

She could and would do this.

Closing her eyes she rolled over and focused on getting the sleep she had been missing out on.

A few hours later when Piper and Leo had to retired to bed that the whole house was silent as the darkness washed over the entire large space that the air shifted and rippled, taking corporeal form of a demon as he glanced around the silent manor. The air shifted again as he was joined by two other who were weary and had taken to darting glances around the room just like he had, mindful in case any of the sisters where awake.

Though they may have been down one third of the power of three. They were still formidable on their own so took no chances. And by waiting a while they had hopes it had lulled them in to a false sense of security so when the time came to attack. They would be easier to defeat.

Very slowly the first nodded having deemed it safe as they took his signal and began moving through the house. They moved through the rooms looking around and on returning deducted that they had gone to bed.

"Shall we" He asked as they nodded before shimmering out and appeared again upstairs as they looked along the corridors and the rooms that held the sleeping sisters. They walked slowly down more fearful then before as they came to a stop outside the first room.

"Who want's first honors " Turning to face them both remained silent. They didn't know who was behind the door as it could have been any of them. The youngest they knew didn't have offensive powers and so was the easiest to take down but she could still cause damage if she wanted to. No the one they had to defeat first was the middle who know was the stronger of them now.

"You" He pointed having chosen as they took too long much to his annoyance as he looked at them before nodding slowly, he really didn't feel like dying today but he had to prove himself and what better way than killing off the second eldest of the charmed ones. He bowed his head a little and shimmered out before re-emerging back inside the room.

He looked around quickly but relaxed once he saw her lying still asleep as he crept closer. He peered over and smirked when he saw it was indeed the older of the two and after making sure that she wasn't going to wake, a fireball appeared in his hands as he felt his confidence grow with each passing second. He raised it high ready to bring it down and kill her when the sudden flash of blue and the shouting had him stall.

"PIPER LOOK OUT!" He glanced to his side to see another person at the side before movement in front of him had him look around before a searing pain ripped across his chest sending him flying back slamming into the wall. Piper had shot up on hearing Leo's voice. Years of demon attack's at night had paid off and so was alert on command as the demon stumbled to his feet before lighting another fireball ready to throw at Leo before another blast this time had him exploding as he cried out in pain before falling silent.

Piper looked at the spot he had been with wide eyes her hands out in front of her before Leo came to her side.

"Are you ok?" He asked quickly as she nodded, it was the first time in a while she had used her powers and though she knew they would attack eventually, she was just a little shocked that it happened before the sounds of crashing outside had them jumping out of bed as Leo flung open the door stepping back just in time as a second demon flew by him before landing heavily on the table and breaking it in half.

"That was antique! " Piper yelled coming to stand in the hall as she looked down to see Phoebe who had already beaten her to it, kicking a third demon in the stomach before aiming a kick to his face. He fell back stumbling as she swept his legs out from under him sending him sprawling to the floor. He glared at her and was just about to throw and energy-ball when he exploded like the first as Piper blasted him.

Phoebe hurried down to the others as Piper breathed heavily. "Are you alright" Phoebe nodded, "Yeah…." She looked down to the floor.

"I knew it was only a matter of time" She said as Piper nodded, they both did and know that it had happened. They had to start getting used to fighting again just as noise from around them had them turning before diving as two fireballs came shooting at them. Piper growled as she landed on the floor looking up angrily to see the demon back on his feet and smirking at her before lighting another attack.

He aimed it at her only to go stumbling as Phoebe from behind kicked his leg sending him forwards as Piper threw out her hands and blasted him back. It didn't vanquish him like the others had and so once he gotten over the first assault he grinned again throwing his fireball.

It shot from his hand and he watched as it went hurtling to her his smile widening only to fade as it went sailing past her as she had vanished in a flurry of blue orbs with it hitting the spot she would have been.

Piper appeared with Leo a few seconds later at the other end were Phoebe had pulled back to as she thanked him before speaking.

"Why the hell didn't he go poof like the others?" She asked snappily as he looked at her

"It's because your powers have been weakened," She gaped at him.

"What?" He orbed them out again as another attack nearly hit them before carrying on as Piper blasted him back to stall him off.

"Your still clearly upset" He held up his hand when she went to protest. "It's the truth we know you are and that's clouding your focus."

The annoyed snarl left her lips as her anger built up. Proving his point.

"See, with all the emotions you feel now it's causing your powers to falter a little and so weaken."

"So what I can't vanquish demons now" He shook his head.

"No you did before you just need to focus." A third orb had her turning around facing the demon who now had been joined by two others and was still grinning, the smirk infuriated and so she raised her hands and with a surge of energy blew up the two by his sides who screamed out in agony before disappearing, she grinned back seeing his back up diminish as she snarled and threw a fireball at her.

"Focus" Leo muttered as she narrowed her gaze at him and with another blast, counteracted his attack before hitting his chest making him stumble. She kept up the assault keeping her gaze on him as three hits later he blew up. Phoebe cheered as his cries went up like the others did before it fell silent again.

Piper breathed out dropping her hands and letting them fall to the sides as she turned back to face them.

"Well….That's one way to wake up don't you think." She laughed dryly before turning and looking at the damage. "For god sake. The amount of money we waste fixing this stuff. The repair man loves us" She grumbled before ambling down the hall. She was to alert now to go back to sleep and so decide to make coffee as the others followed her, they moved into the kitchen as Leo and Phoebe took seats at the island with Piper switching on the kettle and joining them.

"So" Phoebe nodded,

"It starts again." They each got lost in their own thoughts of how bad the attacks would come seeing as they had held off for weeks. It was Leo who spoke first.

"They'll be testing you's now"

"What do you mean" He looked at them before explaining, "Well and I don't like to keep saying it, but your down a sister," Both nodded. " And I'm not trying to make hints but Prue was very powerful and so that's taken a major hit for you, they'll be trying to see how long you can withstand the pressure now that a main part of your power is gone." He finished letting them think it over as he went to finish off the coffee.

Phoebe was the next who spoke.

"They won't give up now will they," Leo shook his head, as she went back to thinking. She told herself she would take a break and get her energy levels back before carrying on her task. But that was when she was sure that the demons wouldn't attack. After all they had waited nearly three weeks and with no Cole about no bounty hunters had come after him allowing peace for the first time in years.

But now after the first of guaranteed many attacks, she had been thinking as soon as she hit the first demon and had come to the choice.

"We have to find her now more than ever" She spoke up thanking Leo as he placed a coffee mug in front of her as he took his seat. He nodded whilst Piper remained silent.

"I said to myself that I would take a break as it had been getting us nowhere but now after what just happened, and with Piper not being able to blow that demon up."

"Hey!" She cut in feeling insulted, "I blew him up pretty god thank you." She exclaimed as Phoebe nodded and took a sip of her drink.

"Yes but after how may hits. Face it Piper Leo's right, your still feeling all sort and that's affecting your powers which in turn affects us. And now that they've started to attack again we need to be strong now more than ever, we need to get back to how we was before and I know that you would rather be it with Prue but we need to face the facts. Prue's gone and in her place now is Paige"

"When we find her" Leo added earning a glare from phoebe," Yes, as Leo puts it when we find her" Piper didn't say anything, still keeping silent taking in all that the other woman was saying, she knew it was right but she wasn't ready to find this girl yet. She wanted it how it was before.

"Now I know she is not Prue, and never will be. And hell won't be as strong, but she is still a witch and our sister nonetheless. So with that it will help."

Piper remained stoic for a while after phoebe had finished her speech before very slowly nodding, she had half-heartedly committed to helping before but had no intentions of doing that but now and she had to admit it, they needed Paige.

Swallowing her pride she looked up at Phoebe who was watching her and nodded more strongly. As Phoebe smiled.

"All right, as of now our main and only focus now is finding Paige"

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**All comments large or small are gratefully welcome. And i hoped everyone liked it. :)**


	5. The Photo (Again)

**Not really much i can say other then i don't own charmed and i hope everyone likes the new chapter. :)**

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With Piper's promise that she would help as much as she could now that it became clear that not only did they need to find Paige purely because their mother asked or that phoebe wanted to, they needed to, now with the demon's declaring open season once again. They needed to find her now more than ever.

Which was why straight after work both would come home whilst Phoebe would re-try the previous methods just in case they got lucky, Piper would look up any Paige's that may have been in their area, and then going further if that failed. Leo was doing his best to try when he went to check or help his charges, to try and sense the missing Elder, if they could find him then they would already be halfway there as then he would be able to sense Paige seeing as they shared DNA and all.

What happened after that they would come to when it was time but at the present they were still at square one and so got back to their appointed tasks. So far after the first attack they had been visited twice more which meant that soon it would lead to three and then so on which prompted them to continue the search whenever they could.

Piper had a lot to think about and searching up name listings gave her the opportunity to do so, it had been a few weeks since all this came about and she had spent that time being mad at both her mother and grams for it, she knew that eventually she would have to speak to them at some point a Phoebe had already done so but every time she promised the younger woman that she would, she just hadn't brought herself to yet.

She just couldn't, the fact that they still kept something as big as another sister from them even if it was for the good of everyone still hurt and she needed time to figure out just who exactly it was she was close to the most. The woman who had raised them for the youngest years of their lives or the one who consoled them when Prue died, either way it was not to one who had recently upturned their world.

At the moment she didn't know which was which and that was another factor as to why she had yet to speak to any of them, she was also thinking about what if they managed to find this Paige. It would be just a much of a shock to her as it had been to them.

She had to take into account the ramifications of when they found her, and what they would say. It would be hard two people, coming to her that she has never seen before claiming to be her long lost, and very unknown sisters. There were also more questions that needed to be answered.

Would Paige welcome them? Had she been searching for her birth family? Maybe she had found them already. But if that was the case then why hadn't she made contact?

Maybe she had found them but didn't want to know them…..If that was the case then maybe finding her was all wrong, maybe she just wanted to be left alone. After all, Sam and Patty did leave her to be adopted whilst the rest got to stay together. If she was Paige then it was understandable that she would be hurt and rejected, hell even a little pissed.

But the way their search that was steadily getting more unsuccessful with every fruitless result was going. Those questions and slight fears wouldn't need to be settled.

"This is pointless " She said one night throwing down the book after yet another failed attempt prompting Phoebe to look up from the map, the crystal hovering over the San Francisco area.

"What is" Piper rubbed her hands over her face and pointed to the book.

"This…..And that" She threw out at the map. "We're not getting anywhere with this"

"Well we can't give up," The older woman lifted her head from the table.

"Phoebe, we have been at this for almost a week. And so far like every other day, we get nowhere." She angrily exhaled before closing her eyes letting her calm exterior that Leo had been teaching her wash over her, she opened her eyes and looked at Phoebe.

"It's those dam sensor protector spells and that stupid cloaking that they both put on her, if we could get them off then all this" She threw out her hands at the book in froth of her again. "Wouldn't be necessary" Phoebe smiled sadly knowing that she was right. But they really couldn't give up.

"I know that which is why we have to expand. Hence why you're trying the normal route and looking in the phone books. Out of both ways you're sure to have more success than I I'm"

Piper snorted on hearing that, "I doubt that. And what do I say if I just happen to come across her, 'Oh hello, did you happen to be adopted by any chance' No." She dropped the false smile.

"I don't know how many Paige's there are in the phone book and again if we find her what are the chances she will tell us? She might be a private person….Or maybe just one who doesn't give details to complete stranger's"

Phoebe had to shake her head at the little rant Piper was having but had to think. She did pose a very good point. What if _when_ they found Paige, what if she was a private person what if she didn't want to divulge anything about herself to them she knew they would have their work cut out for them on facing her and she learnt the truth. But what if it was all too much?

Shaking her head she got back to the matter at hand, they needed her as she was sure that she would, eventually, come to know she to in time would need them back as she placed her hand on the older woman's shoulder.

"It won't be like that" She held up her hand when Piper went to protest.

"I know it won't, so stop with the negative's and," She bent down and placed her fingers at the sides of Piper's mouth forcing it into a smile as she grinned happily.

"Keep happy, and don't give up, the sooner you find the names. The sooner we _will_ find her the sooner we can avenge Prue." Piper stared at her before nodding a little.

"That's it…Well I'm starving, so I'll go and get Chinese" She stopped at the amused look Piper was giving her and sneered.

"I can cook….It's just a hard task remember." Before smiling and leaving the room letting Piper get back to searching through the books.

Leo orbed in later that night to find them in the attic still working but surrounded by take away boxes. He rolled his eyes but moved to greet Piper with the mandatory kiss on the cheek and nod to Phoebe who smiled back.

"So any luck" He asked as Piper shook her head and Phoebe's smile dimmed a little. He nodded in understanding that it would take time as he had no good news to tell them either.

"What about you" Phoebe asked as the blonde shook his head, "No searched all day tried to sense him around, but seeing as he is an Elder, or, was. It's a little tricky." He admitted as both breathed out. It was the story of their lives at the moment and so wasn't really surprised.

"….We'll just have to try again tomorrow" Phoebe determined looking at both as she smiled. The other's returned the gesture a little hesitantly as both knew that tomorrow would only produce the same results. As neither of them knew just how much longer they could carry on.

After a while they all called it quits and went to bed, a new day meant new failures and they all couldn't wait to get started. So trudged out of the room biding each other goodnight before going to their rooms. With Phoebe crashing on the covers closing her eyes and promptly falling asleep.

She was up and out of the house before Piper was as Elise had called and bluntly informed her of an early staff meeting before hanging up leaving Phoebe irritated. Snatching the coffee from the side she made it to her car and to work in less than 25 minutes, smiling at the choice of parking. She inwardly gloated all the way up to her office setting her stuff on the side before sitting in her chair.

She had just powered up her laptop and was thankful that this time she remembered to back up her work before Elise called her into the meeting room which was really just the large table outside her office where the rest of the senior staff were sitting, she sat next to Michael and smiled as he nodded his head in greeting before turning back to the chart board at the front as they all settled sown to listen to the older woman speak.

It was here that Phoebe would hit upon the one thing they had that would lead them closer to Paige.

It was around halfway through the meeting and she had drifted off as most times they had these mandatory staff gatherings, it's not that she didn't pay attention she just really couldn't stand to hear Elise's voice go on for more than five minutes, but it was like that with everyone minus Piper and Leo of course. But now all she wanted to do was just get on with her work.

She rolled her head back slumping down a little in her seat as her mind drifted off to their secret mission. She knew she should give it a rest for a while as it was slowly becoming a bit of an obsession, but she couldn't it was like a jigsaw. When she was younger she hated them but now since mellowing out a lot she had come to not love them but found them peaceful during downtime.

She let her focus sift through the mess that they had been trying to sort out the last few weeks and the failures they encountered and scoffed internally.

'How hard is it to find one woman? Surely there has to be another way?' she let her mind wander picking the seat arm and blowing out the breath she was holding as she refocused on the baby now a grown woman.

'Wonder what she looks like? Must have some of our feature's maybe Piper's cheekbones…..Maybe my eyes, though she kind of looked like she had Mom's eyes in the photo….THE PHOTO!"

She shot up in her seat back fully straight as the rest of the group turned to face her, "Yes Phoebe…..Something to say?" Elise asked a little annoyed at the outburst as Phoebe shook her head as her mind raced.

Of course why the hell didn't she think sooner….The dam photograph. Shaking her head again she stood up, glad that she had secured her office she moved around the table and was about to go to the doors when the other woman called back.

"Phoebe" She turned around as they were all now watching her weirdly, "Where are you going?"

She looked at them and then back to the door before back to them and chuckling slightly to cover her embarrassment. She replied.

"Family emergency"

Elise looked at her with wide eyes, that was all she heard from the younger woman…..Family this and Emergency that. Just what the hell did they do that had them running off every other bloody hour of the day?

"…..Family emergency?" Phoebe nodded "Yeah"

"Now" Again she nodded,

"…Seriously, I didn't even hear your phone go"

Dam…She didn't think on that, her phone was in her pocket but it was loud. She stood there thinking as the rest watched on.

"It's….On vibrate, yeah that's it vibrate" She smiled sucking in a breath through clenched teeth as Elise watched her with narrowed eyes before sighing,

"Fine…..Go" She held her arm out as Phoebe smiled more genuine"

"Oh thank you, I promise I will be here from nine till….Midnight if I have to be…." She smiled once more before turning and all but running for the door. Leaving the rest to watch on after her.

She raced to her car smiling as she started the engine. After all this time and finally they had a lead, granted she was a little pissed that the answer was in front of them for so long and they had taken hours painfully searching. She backed out of her space before setting off down the road. She deliberated on whether to call Piper at the next stop as she pulled up a few minutes later at the traffic lights.

She tapped her fingers on the wheel impatiently staring at her phone before she decided to just go to the club, it would be much better to see her expression in person rather over the phone anyway, as she turned off at the next corner and carried on in the direction of P3.

Pulling up, she cut the engine before locking the car and hurrying inside. Once at the top of the stairs she looked around for any sign of the older woman as she made er way down and onto the floor. She moved to the bar and carried on her search until a sound had her turning and smiled to see Lee, one of the staff as he lifted up a crate onto the side and smiled when he saw her.

"Hey Phoebe" She made her way to him.

"Hey, you haven't seen Piper by any chance have you? It's really important" He smiled good naturedly as he, like many others also knew of the 'family emergency's' they have but didn't call them on it like Elise.

"Er yeah she's in the office at the minute. You want me to shout her?" She shook her head already making her way around.

"Nah it's ok I'll just go in" She smiled once more before moving down the smaller corridor quickly hurrying along, she was still excited to tell her the news. She stopped at the door, though she would normally barge in she had learnt her lesson here when walking in on Leo and her sister together. She shuddered, she may have had a tiny crush on the whitelighter once but now it was just to icky to think off.

Knocking she waited until the distinctive 'Come in' was heard as she pushed on the door and peered in. Piper was just putting the phone down as she looked at the door and smiled as she saw Phoebe.

"Hey Pheeb's" The other woman smiled as she slid into the room closing the door behind her and coming to stand in front of her,

"What's up" She asked on seeing the almost bouncy way she had come into the room as Phoebe shook her head.

"It was so simple we didn't even think of it before." Piper cocked her head slightly as she regarded the younger woman. It was quiet for a while, as neither said anything until Piper spoke.

"…..You're going to have to elaborate a little there Pheeb's" She laughed lightly. Phoebe however didn't as she had now decided that showing her would be better before she made her way around and pulled her from her chair.

"Pho-be. What the hell?" She asked standing as the younger woman pulled impatiently on her arm.

"No time I'll tell you back at the house….LEO!" She yelled to the ceiling, ignoring Piper's protest's as she called again and waited. A few minutes later blue and white orb's shone brightly as they took form in the shape of the blonde haired man who eyed them both quickly.

"What….What is it?" Phoebe smiled as she dragged a still fussing Piper over to him and took his hand,

"Nothing take us home" He looked at her a little confused.

"You called me for that? Don't you have your car" She nodded but waved her hand in dismissal as she tugged on his hand.

"Come on we need to go home like, really now" Giving no other information Leo had no choice but to comply as a second later they were all surrounded by orbs before arriving in the hallway of the manor not another second later.

"Ok, we're home. Now can you tell us what's so dam important you had to drag me away from my club with no warning." Piper asked a little annoyed as she stood with her hands on her hips as Phoebe smiled and nodded before bounding up the stairs and once more ignoring their protests and grumbles. As both husband and wife looked at each other before shrugging and waiting as she came rushing back down the stairs.

"Geez could you be any louder?" Piper tutted as Phoebe came to a stop in front of them still smiling, as she now held up the picture of baby Paige for them to see as both drew their heads back to get a better focus on what it was they were looking at, it was a minute before Leo spoke.

"Er….Phoebe, I hate to tell you this but we have already seen it." She scoffed and rolled her eyes before thrusting at them again.

"I know that but look. What do you see?" Both gave each other little looks again but once more complied as they stared at the picture. It was another few minutes before Piper spoke.

"…Mom, Sam…..Paige as a baby…" She looked around the picture to the other woman slightly exasperated.

"Phoebe Leo's right. We're seen this before why are you showing it again?" She looked on as the other witch growled slightly in frustration before moving to stand next to them whilst she held the picture on front of her.

"What else" She demanded as they sighed but looked back when it was clear none of them knew she let out a small noise of aggravation before speaking.

"The blanket. Perhaps?" Wiggling the photo she smiled when their eyebrows rose and thought that they had finally got it, but then the smile faded when Leo spoke.

"Ok so Paige is wrapped up in the…Is that your blanket?" He asked looking at them as Piper glanced at the image before nodding. Though looking a little insulted.

"Yeah it is, I always wondered where it had gotten to." That had Phoebe's attention as she faced the older woman. "What." And watched as Piper nodded.

"Hmm….I asked Mom about it and she was suspiciously dumb about it." She crossed her arms as if what she had already known was suddenly starting to make a lot more sense.

"And now I know where it is" She gestured to the little baby wrapped up in the blanket. The news had Phoebe's hope sinking faster than when they were lifted.

"The…..Blanket's not here?" Piper shook her head. "Nope I was looking for it for ages last time" She glanced at Phoebe, "I thought you knew it was lost."

The look on her face told the older woman and Leo that, that was not the case. Phoebe dropped her arm to the side as she let out a loud and defeated exhale. It was Leo who spoke next.

"I take it you thought if we found the blanket. That we could use it to scry for Paige." Both looked on as she nodded unhappily making Piper's heart clench.

"Oh honey" She simpered pulling her into a hug as Phoebe clung on. "I just don't know what to do anymore Piper, I thought this would be the one sure thing, and know that's gone."

She held on to her feeling so sorry for her little sister, it was clear that this was a draining mission. And yet she had held high hopes of succeeding not matter what and now this had been another setback. Possibly the biggest one.

Shushing her for a while and comforting her the best she could Phoebe eventually pulled herself upright smiled at them as both Leo and Piper smiled back a little sadly and watched as she said she was going to lie down for a little while. They watched as she made her way up the stairs as Piper breathed out and took hold of Leo's comforting one as he placed it on her shoulder.

Only coming back down for tea in which little small talk was made. Phoebe returned to her room still unhappy about the situation as she collapsed back on her bed sighing unhappily as she fidgeted under her covers. She pulled the thick comforter up to her chin waiting for sleep to come back as it had before but somehow now, it eluded her.

Stupid sleep, she didn't need it anyway so lying back further into her mattress She placed her hands behind her head she stared silently at the ceiling listening to ticking of the clock and hoping that its systematic ticking would lull her to sleep. She pursed her lips and let her gaze roam over the blank canvas of the ceiling as her mind went back to the infuriating picture that continued to stump them.

She knew the answer was that it had to be. It was as of vital clues go, the biggest they had and so the answer to finding Paige had to be in that…..But what?

It was sometime later and the cool air washing over her had lulled her into a light sleep. The image still in her head of the three of them in the attic, they seemed so happy. Their Mom especially, she had never really known Sam all that long to guess what kind of a person he liked but she could tell that on holding Paige he was at his happiest, in fact he seemed his happiest in the photo. Surrounded by the people he loved the most.

It must have killed him to give her up, even if it was for her safety. No wonder he went missing afterwards. The one thing that did make her confused though was why they left her at a church, why not just take her to an orphanage like most did, well technically she wasn't an orphan but to everyone else she was as good as but still. A church? Didn't make sense.

And that's when it hit her.

Shooting up from her pillows she gasped as the answer she had been waiting for finally came clear, she scrambled out of bed and yanked open her door and rushing down the hall tapping on Piper's door. She waited a few seconds before tapping again as Piper answered a few minutes later, hair askew and looking a mixture of tired and murderous.

"Phoebe. Its three in the morning, what. The. Hell." She almost growled as Phoebe bounced on her heels.

"I've got it"

Piper still fuzzy from sleep merely stared at her, "Got what?"

"The picture-" She was cut off with a groan as Piper ran her hands over her face.

"Pheeb's like I said. Its three in the morning, I have to go to the bank an-" She was cut off when Phoebe bounced on her feet again and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah I know all that but I couldn't sleep and I was thinking, yes the blanket would have helped, and yes I'm pissed that it's not here, but. What if" And she pulled on Piper's hand as she led them down the hall and up the stairs that led to the attic as she moved over to the large table in the middle ignoring Piper's grumbles before letting go of her hand and retrieving the map that covered the San Francisco and laying it out on the surface.

She smiled happily as she looked up to Piper who had now woken up fully and was watching her just as Leo came into the room trying his dressing robe and standing next to his wife.

"What's up" Piper glanced at him. "Phoebe's finally gone mad over this" the witch in question snorted and shook her head.

"No, I was thinking and like i said yes I'm a little peeved that we no longer have the blanket. But what if we" She trailed off again as she moved to the book and got the picture out of the middle of its pages before setting it back on the map.

"Use the picture to scry for the blanket." She looked at them smiling as they stared perplexed at her in silence. It was another few minute before Piper spoke.

"What" Phoebe nodded still smiling widely as she tapped the picture.

"I was lying in bed thinking and it hit me, why at the last minute I'll never know. Maybe it's because of all the bad luck we've had but it hit me. We can't use the blanket to look for Paige seeing as we don't have it but what if we used the picture to look for the blanket."

Piper and Leo stood still listening more intently as Phoebe went on about what she was thinking and the more she talked, the more it sounded plausible. For the first time in a while Piper actually smiled as she caught on to Phoebe's thinking.

"I mean Mom said that they left her at a church and I thought why would they do that, it didn't make sense. So if we are able to find the blanket."

"We can find the church they left her at" Piper finished the sentence for her as the younger woman nodded earnestly clapping a little as Piper smiled and looked to Leo.

"Could that work?" the whitelighter looked at the map and the picture. It did seem realistic, if they did find the wrap then they did stand a very good chance of moving on further and getting that one step closer to finding Paige.

"Yes….I think so" He replied nodding making Phoebe squeal again as both he and Piper moved closer. He looked at the picture with the wrap and frowned slightly, there was just one tiny problem.

"What if Paige had the blanket." This caused both to look at him.

"What"

He lifted his gaze from the photo to them. "Well yes, there is a chance that the church might have the blanket still, but I'm just saying. What if Paige has it instead. You know took it with her, or whoever has her as it was what she was left with."

The room fell silent as both Piper and Phoebe took in his words and the heaviness they bore. He had a point, what if the younger woman had the blanket in her possession? It was a very likely chance. If it was the only thing apart from whatever baby clothes she had on then they would have left her with it as a sort of comfort. This dampened the mood slightly as Phoebe could see it on Pipers face and shook her head.

"Nope, no…Not this again we finally have a solid lead and this, yes, does pose a bit of a problem as if she does have it then we won't find either. But there is also the chance that the church has it." She looked at them as they remained silent.

"I mean come on it's the only thing we have and it's pretty big, the least we can do it try" She pleaded as Piper gave Leo another glance as he nodded.

"It is worth a shot" But he didn't have time to finish his sentence as Phoebe had already moved around the table and sat in the chair holding the crystal in her hands before picking up the photo and lifting it to hang over the map as Piper moved next to her.

"Well what do we have to lose." As Phoebe began circling the crystal over the map the picture clutched tightly in her hand.

"Pheeb's come o you've been at this an hour now you need to sleep." Piper's tired voice broke through her concentration as she focused on the items in front of her, they had been scrying for near enough the best part of the hour but so far nothing,

"Not yet,"

"Phoebe"

"No" Leo took over from Piper as he made his way over to her and placed his hand on hers

"Phoebe" She looked up at him to see him smile sadly.

"Piper's right it's been ages and so far you've come up with nothing, maybe. Maybe what I said before was right. Maybe Paige does have the blanket." She stared at him silently refusing to even want to believe that, but in the back of her mind a little niggle was telling her that he was right and so nodded reluctantly

"I know…..I just" He smiled in sympathy

"I really did think that it would work" She mumbled sadly still with her hand over the map as Piper now come to join them.

"Maybe it's best if we just go to bed," She said gently as Phoebe nodded.

"Ok I'll just, put these away" Both nodded and with another small smile they started to make their way out of the room as Phoebe was about to give up and follow them, only for the crystal to spin faster.

"Whoa" She stared as the purple stone spun around faster and faster as she called out,

"Er….Piper….PIPER" the older woman came back in a minute later about to speak only to stop at seeing the stone. She moved over to Phoebe's side quickly as Leo came back in and stood at the door wide eyed as not a minute later the crystal zoned in on a particular spot on the map and fell down.

None of them spoke they all looked at the map in front of them unsure of what to do next. Until Phoebe smiled and excitedly spoke up breaking the silence.

"….We did it"

Piper didn't know what to do only nodded as Phoebe's bubbling laughter rang around the room. "Piper" The older woman turned to stare at her and saw the other woman's huge smile.

"We did it" She couldn't help but smile back as the infectious laughter rang out again and Leo rubbed his hands over her shoulders, after so long and getting absolutely nowhere in their efforts at last, they had finally made a breakthrough and was that once step closer as Phoebe bent forwards to see where the stone had dropped and therefore where the location of the blanket was.

"Well" She looked back up still smiling as it wasn't very far from them, she ought to have been annoyed that the answer so only a few miles away but she couldn't help but feel a little elated.

"St. Cecilia Church"

* * *

**I know it's not the actual church but i did try to find it, couldn't so had to pick another though it is an actual church in San Francisco. **

**Hopefully things will start to pick up a little from here from the church to Paige though that may be speeding along to much...Will have to see.**

**Well i hope that everyone did like it and any thought's would be lovely to hear.**

**:D**


	6. Interlude

**Really thinking this story will be done much quicker with the amount i'm writing at the moment.**

**To answer the last reviewer's question ( thanking you by the way for that) :) I had to laugh as i had that exact same thought going through my head when i wrote it and found it ironic that you had caught upon it straight away.**

**I did have to think about that as it would have been so much simpler but would have cut out much of the story and so had to try try and find a solution to that, of course than i remembered that in the episode Patty only explained that she and Sam had left her at the church, she didn't though exactly say which one it was. so i used that as the little loophole if you can call it that, to carry on with the way the story is outlined and not change to much about it.**

**Though on saying that the story is nothing at all like the first episode so a lot of things have been changed. **

**And to my other reviewer, yes that was one very strong enchantment spell, another thing i wanted to do differently, something to tease the readers with and hopefully keep them enticed. **

**Well now that's all done. One with the story, hope you all like it, happy reading. :)**

* * *

In the silence of a large room a movement occurs as a figure slowly rouses from slumber, twisting slightly so on her side she blinks a few times as the first rays of light seeps through the blinds. Followed by a yawn she feels the arm around her waist tighten its hold on her as she giggled making her company stir.

"Mmf," He mumbled into his pillow as she lifts her hand and runs it down his back smirking at the shiver he barely suppresses.

"Well good morning to you to" She teases as he lifts his head and turns to face her giving her his lob- sided grin before shuffling so his body is facing hers.

"Hmm, what time is it?" He asks voice husky with sleep as she just manages to cover her own shiver before lifting her head and glancing at the clock behind him.

"Just gone 7.00" Before letting her head drop back to the pillow as the man wiggle's a little closer before pulling her into his broad chest and groaning, "Far too early."

She chuckles into his skin and looks up, "It's the same as ever other day" He groans and nods but wraps his arms around her back keeping her huddled to him.

"Yeah but most times I don't have a headache" He whined as her laughter grew louder, she kissed his chest earning another groan before she replied.

"Correct that with a hangover and there is your answer," She giggled as he tickled her causing her to squirm a little before they fell still again the silence was broken when he grunted in affirmation.

"Hmm. Never drinking again" He mumbled as she nodded, "…..You said that last week."

"Yeah well, this time it's true." She looked up again gazing into his brown colored eyes, a little sparkle in her own before she grinned and spoke back.

"Uh- huh so around the same time next weekend we shall be having this exact same conversation" He narrowed his eyes in a playful glare but nodded.

"….Yeah I guess so" But tickled her again anyway in retaliation as she shrieked out loud again and moved to get away from him only to find herself trapped.

"….S…..St…..Seriously stop, needing to breathe here" She gasped out as he finally let up, but only by a little making her glare at him.

"…..Go away, stop that" He grinned happily at her but carried on making her poke his stomach.

"What will it take for you to stop?" He thought long and hard for a while, leaving his hand at her ribs ready to tickle again if she tried anything before looking down gain and speaking.

"Make me breakfast" She gaped at him and saw that he was serious and so started to laugh. It was the wrong move as a few seconds later the annoying tickling on her ribs started again.

"Stop…..It" She managed to move one of his hands as she faced him. "Seriously, you want me to make you something?" At his nod she carried on speaking, "You know I can't cook. Anything, at all, hence the whole point of me not doing so." He had to think on that, it was true she was banned from the kitchen as twice she had nearly set it alight and it was with something so menial that he, if it wasn't so serious both occasions would of laughed.

"Besides" She was smiling now as her hand crept around to his back and she had begun to rake her nails along his skin eliciting another shudder from him.

"Isn't that why we have our little servants" He gazed down at her; her hair was spread over the cream pillows beneath them which contrasted with her milk colored skin. As her eyes bore into him with the dark and warm brown colored iris's they both shared as she bit her lip, she smiled back at him waiting for his answer.

"…You mean the people we call our housemates?" He chuckled when she nodded, before silently conceding that she was right. And by now the fact that it was something past seven meant that Jessica would already be up and she was the cook of the house. Which meant that he didn't have to worry about making a fuss when they left the room as it would already have been served.

She did like to stick to a tight schedule

Knowing that that they had to move soon he poked her one last time for good measure and quickly rolled away before she could hit back as she swatted the air and watched as he stood up, rolling his shoulders to get his muscles working. He moved across the room to get changed, he pulled out a black button shirt and blue jeans as a few seconds later he was joined on the other side as both occupants got ready for the day ahead.

Pulling out a grey woolen sweater and black jean's she quickly changed stopping only to admire the man's muscled abdomen and getting back to her task once she realized she had been caught. Pulling her tongue out at his smirking she shoved him slightly ignoring his deep chuckle as they finished getting ready before leaving the room once the bed had been made.

Walking down the hallway they stopped outside another door as she looked at the closed door and then back to him.

"Think he's awake?" She asked, as he shrugged but knew what she was planning and tipped his head to the side watching in amusement as she turned to the door and started pounding on the solid wood loudly with her hands

"GET UP, GET UP, GET UP, GET UP" She shouted through the door as behind them another third door opened and out came a skinny, tall, sandy haired man who was rubbing his eyes and looking around for the source of the noise.

"What…..The hell guy's" He mumbled sleepily as they turned to face him still smiling as her hand fell away from the now open door to reveal another man who was smaller than the first two. Though not as muscly as the first he was leaner than the sandy haired man as his expression was one of extreme annoyance as he pulled on a black turtle neck and fumed at the people in front of him.

"Seriously how old are you" He huffed as she giggled and kissed his cheek taking no heed of his words before making her way to the kitchen as the other two followed her leaving the taller of the three to get changed.

Pulling herself up in her seat she smiled at the only other girl in the apartment as she turned around serving up the last of the breakfast just as the other two made their appearances.

"Oh well now how did I know that you would come sniffing once you smelled food was near" The red haired girl teased as the two took their seats next to them.

"Seeing as this one" He nodded his chin in the giggling dark haired girl's direction. "Decided to act her _real_ age, and bang so loud on my door I'm pretty sure the people upstairs heard her." He looked over to the other man in the room as he scouted out the biggest plate before talking again.

"And he's just being his usual food orientated self" He finished as the taller man, having found which was the biggest plate. Had returned to his seat gave him a narrowed glare before picking up his fork and taking a bit out of his egg saying nothing, as he knew it was true.

"Aww leave him alone its not his fault he can't cook to fend for himself. He has to get what he can before he starves due to his poor culinary skills" She ruffled his hair as he moved her hand away but carried on eating.

"Look who's talking, I don't recall you being able to cook any better if memory serves, and at least he didn't try to kill us all in the hopes of making pop tarts." The rest snorted as the other woman gave a curt sniff, scowled but didn't say anything either.

They chatted for a while as they passed the time before they had to leave with the sandy haired man coming to join them once he had gotten changed. After saving what had remained of breakfast from the other man's clutches. He sat down as the others had eaten but sat around talking until he had finished, with the two women tidying before putting the plates in the dishwasher as they each went about getting what they needed before setting off for the day.

Retreating back to their room both wanted to just curl up back in bed but didn't have the day off and so gathered what they needed before she sat on the seat fixing her boots watching as he stood in front of the mirror fixing his belt before moving to the bathroom at the side and quickly sorting his hair before both left the room once more.

Sensing that Jessica and Glen had already left seeing as the only other occupant left in the apartment was male; they decided to leave as well, though they pretty much shared everything, and had coffee in the mornings. Both liked to have just a little time to themselves before splitting for the day as the waved at the couch dweller as he grabbed the car keys silently thanking that the house keys came with them otherwise he would have lost a pair before than as they left.

Both enjoyed the quiet time they had at the small coffee house. It was the familiar and warm atmosphere that they enjoyed that the locals that made it one of their favorite places to go. They didn't need to talk when they came here just sitting near each other was enough with the occasional smile once or twice was equivalent to a whole conversation.

They parted ways when they left the coffee house with her taking the house keys and him keeping the car. Just because they were attached together and he hadn't lost them yet, that didn't mean to say he would as they day went on and so she wasn't taking any chances. With one final kiss they both went in different directions with the promise of getting lunch together.

She had to smile to herself as she made her way to the building; she had a really good life. She had great friends, and amazing boyfriend, she was in a place that many would dream to be. And with a really great apartment not many could say that considering the location.

Of course there was some glitches but that was to be expected, and circumstances that had been literally thrown at her, but she had been here now for almost two years. Two years and nothing serious had happened. Of course that wasn't to say it hadn't all been plain and simple. The first few months had been….An experience to say the least.

She made her way up the stairs smiling at the people that passed as she walked along the corridor before slipping into a room at the other end, in the beginning she had no idea what the hell was going on and so understandably freaked out. It wasn't until she had taken control of the situation that it became. Not clearer as such, but more bearable.

It still didn't help, not for a long time actually, but the more she learnt the more it didn't seem as scary or impossibly hopeless. She didn't get to where she was just by skating by though many would disagree.

Given her situation it was a wonder she had managed to hide it so well, but she had. And as many would whisper that it was because of those situations that she was where she was now but that wasn't true, she had earned this place. Just like the rest had, she had worked hard through high school to get the grades. And after a while she had shown those who believed otherwise.

Sitting down she smiled at Emily who occupied the seat next to her, another friend she had here though not as close as she was to Jessica but still they spent time outside once in a while and so greeted her warmly. As she took off her coat and placed it on the back of her chair. They both conversed for a little while as they talked about their weekends before finally deciding to get on with what they were supposed to be doing.

Yep, everything in her life right now was perfect. She wasn't completely naive enough to think that it would last through one thing or another but so far nothing had happened and so maybe all the pessimistic thinking like the others thought her to be was merely just a product of her imagination.

Maybe life now was what it would be like in the future. Blissfully perfect.

Maybe she had nothing to be worried about.

Maybe at long last everything was as finally as it should be.

It would be a little time later that she would come to learn that her rational thinking was what she should have listened to all along. And that the perfect life she had now, would upturn drastically with some large reactions soon to follow.

And it all began with the churches name.

* * *

**Can anyone guess who they are yet? (Minus the two already mentioned)**


	7. The Church

**Here is the next chapter, and yes to the last reviewer one was Paige but no one got the rest and so will have to wait until the story progresses to find them all out,**

**But people can still guess if they want. **

**Anyhoo hope you all enjoy reading. :)**

* * *

Two days later and both Phoebe and Piper stood outside the church they had spent so long searching for. It was funny that they passed this building so many times in their lives but never, not once. Knew of its painful yet important significance securing the car they made their way up the stairs to the doors before stopping.

"Should we knock" Phoebe asked peering into the tainted window as Piper glanced around before shrugging and nodding,

"May's well" Before lifting her hand and hitting the solid oak door as both waited. A few minutes later she knocked again but still got no response she deflated slightly.

"Do you think churches have lunch hours?" She asked as Phoebe smirked but shook her head as she turned around and walked back down the steps but this time off to the side as she wandered about seeing a gate. Smiling she called for Piper who followed her as the other woman pushed on the creaky door and up the path which led to the back and to what they assumed on seeing. Was the gardens.

They moved down the path slowly taking in the decorated grounds before they stopped as out of nowhere a nun had come into the vicinity and was making her way to them.

Phoebe nudged Piper who was admiring the layout of the gardens before she faced the front and saw the nun who was oblivious to their presence as she shuffled up the path with her head down.

"What should we say" Phoebe asked quietly as Piper blanched, crap. What were they going to say? Admittedly she hadn't thought that far ahead and now with the church woman getting ever closer she had to think of something quickly. Just as she had thought of a cover the woman looked up and took a small step back a little startled at them being their but quickly composed herself and smiled.

"Hello" She smiled as they returned the gesture; she placed her hands in front of her and looked at them both. "Can I help you with something my dears?" She asked as Phoebe nodded and nudged Piper again who smiled but forcibly as the younger woman pushed her a little.

"Hi, yes. Er well me and my sister here are—" She cut off at that as Phoebe turned her head slightly, still smiling but wondering what she was doing as Piper desperately tried to think of something as the nun watched her intently.

"….We are….Researching churches in the area and was wondering when the church first opened." She laughed weakly as phoebe was looking at her like she was mad. The other woman didn't say anything as she just nodded once and beamed at them.

"Well I don't know that much I'm afraid, I have only been here several years. But Sister Agnes, she can tell you. She's our oldest serving sister, been here twenty seven years she has" The other woman spoke proudly at her fellow sister as both smiled and once she pointed them in the right direction they thanked her and carried on down the path to the little planted area.

They looked around the communal gardens trying to spot the older woman before Piper tapped on Phoebe's arm and nodded in the direction as the younger woman narrowed her eyes before coming across another sister of the church as she tended to the plants. They quickly set off over to her as she turned on them getting closer hearing their footsteps and stopped her movements.

"Hello" They both greeted her as she lifted her hand to view them better before Phoebe started to speak

"Are you Sister Agnes?" The older of the three nodded and smiled again. "Can I help you" This time Piper spoke as she nodded.

"Yes, we were wondering if you can tell us anything about a little baby that was given to the church." She stopped speaking as the nuns smile dropped and they gave each other little glances.

"….Unless you don't know anything about that could you tell us who might." They both watched silently as the nun looked at them for a minute before putting down her trowel and getting slowly to her feet. They stepped back as she stood up fully before staring at them again.

"…...Do you know who might know about that?" She asked again as the nun was silent again but a few seconds later, spoke. This time her tone a little less kind and more stern.

"I do happen to know about that particular event yes, dear." Both smiled as they really didn't feel like hunting the person who did and didn't have the time to go about asking as they looked at her.

"Great….Can you tell us anything of what you do know" Phoebe asked as the older woman turned her attentions to her and Phoebe, for what reason she didn't know suddenly felt scared of the only moments ago was a kindly looking woman and fought the urge to hide behind Piper as the older woman nodded once more.

"I can indeed my dears for it was I who the little girl was given to."

Ten minutes later they were sat in the older woman's little office as they waited, she had told them to follow her in a tone unusually not suited for a holy woman as they trailed after her and was pointed to a side room as they took seats.

"I thought old people were meant to be jolly" Phoebe muttered after a while of silence as Piper smirked and shook her head,

"That's fat people Phoebe….And no their not either" The other woman pursed her lips, thinking over the new information as the door opened again and they looked up to see the nun shuffle in a box in her hands. She shut the door and moved over to the seats opposite them placing the box on the chair and sitting next to it.

"I can remember it as if it was only yesterday" She began. They stayed silent as she told them of the night, a small smile crossed her lips despite the sudden coldness she had moments ago.

"Well I mean who can, the way they came. It was like the angels themselves" She spoke wistfully as the other two gave a little pointed look at each other again.

"What do you mean?"

"I was just going around making sure that the stands were tidy and about to lock the door when suddenly the room was filled with bright blue and white lights. At first I was scared but then realized that nothing about it could be bad otherwise it wouldn't have been able to be in the church. So I looked as out of them as if by magic. Two people appeared holding a small blanket."

This was what the two wanted as small smile adorned their faces but let the woman carry on speaking.

"They came closer and well I didn't know but I just moved forwards. They looked so lost and clearly upset but they saw me and" She stopped as she looked away for a second and Piper titled her head to the side.

"What than" Phoebe cut in as the nun turned back to her,

"The woman she spoke to me, she said that they had to leave the child with me. The church, as she was in great danger if she stayed with them. I couldn't really see a reason why as if they truly were angels. Who could be in such harm? But they insisted and so after a minute of them saying goodbye. They gave her to me." The older woman smiled more kindly now

"For whatever reason it was though I could tell that both really did love that little child, and it killed them to let her go." At this both Piper and Phoebe felt guilty and lowered their heads in shame slightly, a minute later Phoebe spoke up again.

"Do you happen to have anything of the little girls by any chance?" This time the suspicion was evident in the nun's eyes as she lifted her head to look at them, her gaze narrow and stare distrusting as Phoebe leaned back in her seat.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe I have had the pleasure of your names" She spoke placing a hand on the box at the side of her as both nodded. They knew what she was doing, and so took no offense to it as Piper leaned over and held out her hand.

"Piper Halliwell and this is my sister Phoebe" She said as the older woman looked at the hand offered before back to her and then slowly accepting the gesture as she smiled.

"It's alright to be suspicious it's just that we think that little baby, might. Is, our sister and we just really want to find her" She carried on as now the nun's face dropped all sign of hesitation. She smiled more brightly at them and replied.

"I'm sorry my dear's it's just that no one knows about what happened, they told me to keep it a secret you see. And so with people and young ones such as yourselves knowing about that well." She cut off as they nodded. She really didn't need to explain herself as Phoebe spoke up again.

"So do you have anything that may help us possibly?" They both looked hopefully at her as the nun looked to the box and lifted the lid off as she placed it to one side and pulled out the familiar blue woollen blanket that had been lost to them for so long.

"There is this" She said turning to face them as she held out the baby swaddle. They smiled as they spied the crest of their family on the edge. As Piper leaned across.

"May i?" She asked as the older woman nodded and passed it over as the other woman took it in her hands and smiled feeling the material that was comforting to her,

"Do you know anything else about the baby…..Where she might be now" Phoebe asked, it was a long shot but who knew as they woman shook her head sadly.

"No my dear I'm sorry, I was ill that day she was adopted and so didn't have the chance to say goodbye to her" They were sad to hear that and knew it meant more searching but now they had the blanket it might be easier.

"But she was a happy little baby" She went on as they listened, "Always smiling, I remember the priest dropped a few bibles on his foot and she laughed for an hour" The nun let out a chuckle as did the two sisters. They found it comforting to know at least something about Paige.

"I was so upset when heard that she had been taken in as I felt attached to her" She explained as they nodded. It was understandable. She was the one their Mom trusted her with.

"But I know that she's happy wherever she is" The nun spoke kindly as she carried on speaking, they talked for a little while longer before Piper glanced at her watch.

"Wow we've been here three hours" She said to Phoebe who looked at her outstretched arm and whistled.

"Geez I didn't even know I was hungry until now" She replied as Piper scoffed and hit her leg before standing up.

"Well thank you Sister for everything, and thank you for looking after her" The older woman smiled at them and after giving them hugs they was just about to leave when she called to them again.

"I might have been ill that day my dears and do not know where she is now, but I do know who it was that adopted her." At this they both spun around and stared back at the older woman who was still sitting. And moved back to stand in front of her as Piper's eyes narrowed.

"Wha—wait you've just said." She was cut off again.

"I was upset about her being gone and so wanted to know who the people were that took her home" She got up out of her seat as Piper still couldn't believe that she had kept that to herself as they watched her move about behind the chair before coming back around to them.

"I was assured that these people were some of the kindest, most loving people any child could have hoped to have gone home with and so" She looked back up to them a little sheet of paper in hand.

"My worries were put to ease" She held out the paper as Piper took it from her and Phoebe moved to stand by her as they looked down at the name of the people that had adopted their sister all those years ago.

_Richard Matthews & Marie Matthews_

_One adopted – Paige Matthews _


	8. The Return Of Cole

**I'm back.**

**Sorry it took a while, was delayed but i had this sitting here just needed a few touches and now it's complete. I wanted this to be a great reveal chapter where they find out more of the answers they are looking for but i fear i just made it far fetched and not cool.**

**I know it's a little...(lot) Different then cannon but that's what i think makes it a good story, the twist in it and the new take on a episode i think wasn't as good as it could of been.**

**Hope everyone enjoys reading, it's a little longer to make up for the absence. And er yeah, happy reading. :) **

**Disclaimer - I don't own anything that has to do with this chapter, Microsoft charmed, or otherwise ...Just borrowed them for the purpose of this story. **

* * *

"Dam it? Why is this so hard?"

Phoebe placed the crystal on the table on top of the map they had been using ever since they had discovered the name of the people who adopted Paige. The piece of paper with said names lay just beside it, they had asked the nun of they could borrow it promising to bring it back but she had told them to keep it merely copying down the names on another before insisting they take it.

"_If it helps you search for her my dears"_ She had told them smiling before they left.

Like hell it did, it had been near enough a week and they had…..Nothing, no location, no signs of the people themselves…Nothing.

"How hard can this freakin be" Piper groaned as she placed a mug in front of the younger woman who accepted it gratefully before she took a seat next to her and looked at the map. Granted they had only been looking four days out of the seven they had the information but that was due to the reality of the real world, if Elise hadn't of called when she did or the pipes in the bathroom at the club hadn't of burst. Than they would have had a lot more time to look.

Sipping her drink Phoebe looked at the large map that covered the entire San Francisco area, she let her eyes roam the length and breadth of the paper silently musing. It was clear that the Matthews didn't live in the area or in any either direction of their house no matter how far they searched. Now when that happened it could have meant either one of a few things.

Either they didn't have enough to go on but they had their names so that should have been enough. Also they had the blanket back so that as well should have been more than enough but no that didn't work.

Contemplating the other alternatives she held on to her mug before clearing her throat and gaining Piper's attention.

"What" She turned in her chair to face the older woman as she got ready to voice the thoughts running through her head.

"We've looked for a good three days now…..This being the fourth?" Piper nodded not really knowing what else to do,

"And as by now we both know that they are not in this area or any that we have looked in which leads us to look further" Piper again nodded waiting for the other woman to get to her point.

"Well what if there not…..Anywhere" She trailed off leaving Piper a little confused. She narrowed her eyes in thought trying to decipher what Phoebe meant until it hit her.

"You…..You think they might be dead?" Phoebe nodded.

"Why?"

The younger woman shrugged her shoulders "I don't know it's just a thought. I mean we have looked and scryed, hell we even tried the phone book way again but nothing. Now I know that some keep their numbers out of the book so that's a given but we can't even find them on a map. Now normally when that happens you know as well as I that could mean they are either really good at hiding, or."

"There's nothing to find" Piper finished off as Phoebe nodded.

She sighed sitting back in her chair, she would be lying if the thought hadn't of occurred to her some days ago, but she didn't say anything. A flashback to what Prue had called her some years ago came to her and she was determined to not be that anymore.

Being pessimistic was something she had never thought herself as but as they years they had been doing this grew. She found it harder and harder not to be. Phoebe was the over cheerful one and she, or at least she thought. Was the rational one, the carefully planning one but no. according to the oldest at the time that was her, the middle was always the one that saw things half empty.

Nice to know what people thought of you

So that was the old her, with everything that had happened she was adamant on change. And so left out the possible thought intent on trying to focus on the positives, but now that Phoebe had mentioned it she could now fully voice her opinions and not be called out on it.

"So you think they may be dead" She asked carefully watching as she nodded. It was a possibility and if that was indeed true than that put them back.

"Well" She cut off carefully assessing the options they had, she had to think. If Phoebe was right and they were indeed no longer alive. To say she would be pissed would be an understandment but, she wasn't going to be that person anymore and so had to try and think with what they had.

It was a while since Piper had gone into her thoughts and by then Phoebe had finished her drink. She looked at the other woman in thought and saw the little far off look she had and so saw no reason to let her coffee which was just sitting there go cold, she very carefully edged her hand across the table getting closer to the mug. She had just reached the handle and was going to pull it to her when a hand slapped down on hers causing her to yelp.

"Well then that'll teach you to try and steal my coffee won't it" Piper teased as Phoebe pulled back and held her hand close to her chest glaring at Piper who was chuckling.

"Oh quit pouting you baby, if you wanted more then go and make it"

"But it's so far to walk" Rolling her eyes at the petulant wine she pulled the second mug to her and poured some in before sliding it back. "There happy?"

She rolled her eyes at the nod she got in return before sitting back in her seat. "And to answer your little possible theory, we could always go and have a look at the records of people who have died I guess."

Phoebe lifted her head, nose scrunched slightly. "Can we do that" Piper shrugged. "Not sure but no harm in looking is there"

Phoebe smiled and nodded only for it to disappear a minute later before asking, "But how…..I mean we don't even know where to find them so how are we going to look for their records?"

This wiped the smile from Piper's face as Phoebe voiced this making them both sink back into their chairs. This wasn't going to be as straight forward as Piper had hoped.

After a few minutes of silence Piper spoke up again voice hesitant as she carefully chose her words.

"Well, we may not have any records to go on but I don't think looking at the death records should be to hard" She bit her lip as Phoebe glanced at her,

"I think if we just look at archives, find any that have Matthews and see where that takes us" She said finally. As Phoebe nodded before standing up and stretching it was almost one in the morning and so both decided to call it a night, she watched as the younger woman smiled before taking her leave as she remained sitting a little while longer. Yes it was a long shot at best and looking could take forever, but at that moment it was all they had.

The next day, seeing as Phoebe decided to work from home she was set the task of looking up the cemetery's within a 15 mile radius of the house and then looking up on any sites that allowed it. The names off all who were buried there she did that whilst Piper on her way to the club stopped by the hospital to try and see if she could find out if anyone with the name Mathew was born there.

Phoebe was halfway through the fourth one by the time Piper got home. She had found nine altogether and so was working her way through when the door shut and she heard Piper's angry footsteps making their way across the floor.

'when is Piper never angry coming from that place' She wondered as the woman in question appeared and threw her bag down on the chair and dropped on to the couch in the sun lounge next to her as Phoebe smiled.

"Good day I take it" She asked as Piper bitterly let out a mock laugh before turning to face her.

"Good as It can get these days" She mumbled back before sitting up proper in the chair and sighing,

"Stupid club has to have the pipe's re-worked seeing as the old route, do you remember that min earthquake we had last month" Phoebe nodded seeing as she was in her car at the time.

"Well it seems that the part where the pipes are have caved in slightly putting pressure on the metal which has caused it to burst and so the good plumber has told me that in order to have them working again they will need to be re-routed to another part of the frame outside." She let out another breath again as Phoebe nodded sympathetically.

"What about the hospital" Piper laughed again before shaking her head.

"Nope, apparently saying that you think they might be your family isn't enough to get any records they might have"

Phoebe looked at her quizzically, wondering why she said that she waited for Piper's explanation before realizing that she wasn't going to speak and so asked.

"Why did you say that?"

"Hmm"

"Why did you say they might be your family?" Piper dropped her arm from her face and lifted her head.

"What…Oh well, I thought that if I said that I was looking for my birth family, adopted an all. That maybe they would have been nice enough to hand over any information they might have had…You know kinda like Paige's story." She finished as Phoebe frowned.

"And what did they say"

"Go and ask the adoption agency" Came the muffled response leading Phoebe to let out a small laugh of her own.

It was another few minutes later when Piper spoke up again.

"So any luck on the graveyard front?" The younger witch had to frown at the slight insensitivity but knew Piper was too tired to care and so let it go as she shook her head.

"No I have been through three….Well now four so far and nothing's coming up." Piper sighed and nodded,

"There are still five to go so you know we might still be lucky," Now she had to frown at her _own _insensitivity as Piper let out the breath she had been holding in and stood up.

"Well I'm off to make a drink. You want one" She asked looking back at her as she nodded smiling before Piper left the room leaving her to carry on with her searching.

She managed to make it through two more before Piper called to say that dinner was ready before she gave up. Putting the laptop aside she stood and winced at the slight cramp in her legs and arms before carefully stretching. She slowly walked into the next room as Piper finished putting the last of the dinner on to plates and sat on the opposite side of the island.

"No luck" She guessed as Phoebe shook her head. She stretched out her arms and Pier scowled at hearing her fingers crack before pushing the plate over to her.

"Well there are three more to do so take a break for now and we can get to them later" She smiled as the younger woman nodded before taking a bite of the food in front of her.

With no more talk of the remainder of the task they both settled into a comfortable small chatter, with them talking about their day and the band that Piper was thinking of booking for the club. Once it was up and running that was.

After dinner Piper cleared the table with Phoebe's help, and they both washed up before settling down for the night. The younger woman had planned to start reading the book she had bought a few days ago and so went upstairs to retrieve it, coming back down she found Piper on the couch flipping through the channels as she took the seat next to her and opened to the first page settling down and promptly immersing herself in its pages.

It was sometime later when both were silent that Phoebe heard it, a sound that broke through the quietness of the silence and disrupted her reading. She looked up to see Piper still watching TV and with her foot nudged her side. The other woman looked to her and as she did so glanced up and gasped out slightly confirming what she thought. The younger woman threw her book down and stopped when a hand gripped her shoulder.

Doing what came naturally to her she took hold of the hand ignoring Piper's sudden shout out assuming it was to tell her to be careful and pulled.

"No Phoebe don—" Piper cut off as Phoebe had already yanked down and doing so pulled the intruder over the side of the couch and watched as the person landed heavily on the table crushing the small wooden item under their weight as Phoebe moved away quickly coming to stand by Piper who was stood there with wide eyes watching as the intruder groaned in pain.

"Piper what the hell why aren't you— " She stopped as Piper looked down and followed her line of sight as she stared at what she thought was a demon.

"Oh my god"

She was right in a way as the third person rolled on to their side as she bent down to help immediately feeling guilty. It just wasn't any demon coming to attack them.

"Cole" She helped him stand upright as he swayed slightly still a bit dazed from the throw as Phoebe looked him over. He didn't seem to have any injuries that she had caused but saw a huge gash on his arm that had her steering to the couch ignoring his protests as she sat next to him. Piper had taken her seat back and watched as the demon that had been on the run for almost three months had come back.

"Cole" She repeated as he looked at her, they both gazed at each other as he smiled lightly making her do the same as Piper rolled her eyes and moved to get him a wash cloth having caught side of the large cut on his arm.

"Where have you been" He took a deep breath before replying,

"Around, I had to make sure that I couldn't be tracked so easily and so kept on moving to confuse them." She nodded and bit her lip, she helped him with his jacket as Piper returned with a bowl of warm water before passing it to the other woman who dipped it in liquid and then began running it over the wound not paying heed of the little hiss he let out.

"We looked everywhere" She spoke as he nodded,

"Well I had to make sure that no one could find me"

"The Penthouse" He nodded. "It would have been too obvious so I stayed away from there"

"Work" Again he nodded.

"They would have found me there. I had to make it look like I had run off so anywhere that I had been before would have been risk." He looked around the large house

"Here to" She stopped her ministrations as he mentioned the house. He caught this, and looked at them,

"They've been here haven't they" He spoke quietly but darkly as Phoebe looked at Piper who shrugged.

"We have had a few attacks" He breathed in through clenched teeth as she spoke again quickly.

"But I think that was always to be suspected, after the funeral we were surprised that they didn't attack sooner."

He looked at her then at Piper who nodded, "So you don't think it was because of me?" She shook her head.

"No I think they attacked because they always do" At this he nodded, he was there for the funeral but then had to go into hiding for fear of any trackers coming for him and endangering the two remaining sisters. But now that he had been on the run for three months and counting, he figured that maybe they had let up slightly and so had come back to see Phoebe.

"How are you holding up" He asked after a few minutes as she looked at him and knew what he was on about before nodding slowly.

"It's hard, but you know. We get by each day gets a little easier." He nodded pleased that she was coping and glad that Piper was here to help. He didn't want to bring it up but there was still the little factor of the power of three not being so much a three anymore and therefore without the main factor of their power-base They were vulnerable to attack. Piper could fend for herself well, but Phoebe would need more than just good fighting skills.

"So…..What about the power of three" He asked slowly knowing that it was still a touchy subject as he heard Piper breath in sharply. He looked at Phoebe who had an unreadable expression on her face and then back to Piper who had bit the side of her cheek. He could tell that there was something more and so spoke up again.

"What"

They didn't say anything for another few minutes as he waited for any to speak. After another minute of silence, Piper spoke up.

"Shall you tell him or shall i?" She asked as Cole now was confused as Phoebe looked up from staring at the side of the couch as she looked at the other woman before shaking her head.

"I will, I fear if you than you'll get angry again" She smiled a little knowing it was in good nature and not an insult as Piper snorted a little but nodded as she settled back in her seat.

"Tell me what" he asked as both witches looked at him and Phoebe smiled again before sitting in the seat next to him as she began to explain all that had happened in his absence.

Twenty minutes later and a very stunned Cole was taking in all that he had just been told. From the photo, to the explanation to the endless searching, the church and then the blanket which eventually led to finding their names.

"….Wow" They both nodded,

"Understatement of the year" Piper added looking at his dazed face. He looked back at Phoebe who was looking at the floor.

"And this….."

"Paige" He nodded, "You have no idea where she is" She shook her head.

"Nope. Mom and Sam put cloaking spells over her and Sam used his powers to add to that making her the most hardest person to find in….The….World." She sighed as he nodded.

"And now you're looking for her parents" They both nodded, "Well we thought that if we could find them than we can find Paige but unless Sam put a spell on them to….Which I'm starting to think might be true" She let out a little laugh knowing it was stupid but really, how hard could it be to find two measly people.

"So no luck on them either" Phoebe shook her head,

"No….That's why we have been searching the death records." He frowned a little confused and waited for her to explain. She saw his confused look and knew what he was after so elaborated.

"Well we have tried scrying for them and no luck there. And since we can't locate them on the map that means they are either being hidden….Or they're"

"Dead" He finished as she nodded. He rubbed his hands on his jeans. "Wow….your Mom really gave you a mission didn't she" Another inelegant snort from Piper told him he was right.

"What are their names" He asked after a while as Piper had gone to make more drinks leaving them alone for a while as she took hold of his hand.

"Richard and Marie Matthews" He nodded as she rested her head on his shoulder taking comfort in his touch she had been missing for so long as he settled down going over the name sin his head. He mused as he thought, his nose scrunching slightly the names. They sounded familiar but where had he heard them from.

After a few minutes of silence he spoke up again.

"What makes you think they are dead"

"Might be" She replied turning her head a little "And we're not sure they are. It's just a hunch, we can't find them on the map and we have looked all over even going as far as LA but nothing."

That had him even more convinced he had heard the names before but for the life of him and with all that had been happening, he just couldn't place them.

Piper came back in carrying three drinks breaking off his train of thought.

"It was two sugars right" She asked placing the tray on the table as he saw she had made him coffee and nodded gratefully thanking her as he hadn't had a coffee in so long. As he took the cup.

He closed his eyes at the first sip and was happy that he had come back as this was his first sense of normality that he had in a long time. He held his mug settling back in the seat as his thought's wandered over everything that he had been told. All the while his mind kept going back to those names or more Richard Matthew in particular.

He had heard it, before the funeral as well he knew that much. It was quite a well-known name to, and it was there in the back of his mind. But it just wouldn't come to him.

None of them spoke as they were each lost in their own musings all the while never seeing the slight shimmers next to them or the fireball that came their way until it hit the chair next to Piper.

They spun around to find three demons standing in the hall each wearing grins and holding more fireballs in their hands as Cole shot up from his seat, Piper and Phoebe following suit.

"Trackers" They heard him mutter as the first one launched himself at Cole who tackled him and they fell to the floor struggling to gain the upper hand. Piper threw out her hands and blew up the fireball that was coming her way as the other two moved to attack the sisters and Phoebe kicked out landing a blow to his stomach before Piper blasted him back where he landed heavily next to Cole and the first who had now moved on to assaulting each other throwing attacks back and forth as fire and energy balls went sailing past one another and hitting parts of the house.

"Stop destroying the furniture!" Piper shouted looking at the hole that had been made due to a stray energy ball. And then to the demon who had caused it.

"I hope you'll be paying for that to be fixed" She asked annoyed as the demon fixed her a quizzical look to which she grumbled.

"Of course you're not" Before blowing him up. Cole had been hit in the shoulder but was still keeping up his attack as the two remaining demons moved in on him.

"I thought you said that it was safe to come back" Piper shouted as she ducked an on-coming fireball as it hit the couch and scowled as Cole shouted back.

"I thought it was" Rolling her eyes she moved and made her way to them as they both hid behind the side wall as The demon kept Phoebe behind him as he fought off the two tracker's

"I had lost them a while back and since they couldn't find me. I thought it was ok to come back." Piper pursed her lips avoiding another deadly assault before blasting the second back.

"We need to get rid of these before any more come" She said as he nodded, they muttered to each other for a minute all the while making sure that the trackers stayed on the other side of the room before finally they had come up with a plan.

Nodding Cole shimmered out as Piper ran from behind the wall leaving Phoebe standing at the edge as Cole shimmered back in a tapped him on the shoulder, the first tracker turned and saw that his target was now behind him as Cole smiled before sending him flying with a hidden energyball as Piper had come to the middle and focused on him as she threw out her hands.

He burst into flame in the middle as his cry rang out around the room leaving only one tracker left as he stood at the side watching as the second of the group was vanquished leaving him the only one left. Cole stood straight as Piper moved into the middle slightly confident that he wasn't going to attack as he looked from one to the other.

Cold didn't move only smiled his slightly evil smirk which made him snarl but as he didn't have the power to overrun them he had no choice but to leave. But before he left he held out his hand and pointed at the other demon.

"I'll be seeing you soon." HE promised before shimmering out leaving the room empty save the mess that they had wrought.

"Stupid demons" She muttered as she observed the damage and Phoebe moved over to Cole leading him over to the couch looking at the cut above his eye.

"Are you ok baby" She asked worried as the demon nodded wiping his eye that had been trickling over with the red liquid as he nodded again.

"Yeah I'm just sorry that they came I really did think that I had lost them" He frowned but Phoebe shushed him saying it didn't matter as long as he was safe and ignoring Piper's third snort of the night.

Cleaning up the best she could whilst Phoebe cleaned up Cole's injuries she dropped the heavy stuff deciding it wasn't worth tidying until the morning. They all decided to go bed.

After wishing them goodnight Piper left them at the top of the stairs leaving them to make their way to Phoebe's room as she opened the door allowing him to go in first. She made room on her bed so he could sit down as she retrieved her pyjamas from the side. He took off his ruined shirt throwing it in the corner before leaning back on the pillows watching as Phoebe moved around the room.

Once she finished getting ready and had returned from the bathroom she shimmied up the bed and curled up into hi side as he wrapped his arms around her body relishing the feel of the person he missed the most.

"Missed this" She muttered as he smiled and kissed her head in agreement.

"Me to" he replied as she smiled and snuggled closer,

"Missed you" He laughed a little and nodded.

"As I did, so much" And placed another kiss on her head before they both settled down to sleep.

A little while later Cole woke up, months of being on the run and having very little sleep had made him a semi insomniac. And so decided to make himself a drink. Very carefully so not to wake Phoebe he extracted himself from her grip and tiptoed to the door edging it open and sliding out of the room. Taking in a deep breath he made his way down to the kitchen and to the kettle as he flicked on the switch and waited for it to boil.

Looking around the quiet room and house that he hadn't seen in ages he moved around taking in the things he had missed before coming back to the kitchen and finished making his coffee before ambling to the living room.

After switching on the telly and flicking through the stations he shut it off again in favour of thinking, and so sat back in the chair and let his mind muse over all that he had learnt that evening.

'It must have been bad' He thought 'to have one sister, who you have lived with your entire life die. And suddenly find you have another half one who you have only just hear off a week or so after said other sister dies.'

He thought a little about Prue, though he never really did see eye to eye with her and yes at times he did want to throw a fire ball at her but he never actually imagined a place without her authority like presence being there to snoop and to annoy. He always saw her being there until the end, it was funny how the strongest person you know could succumb to the fickle form of life so easily.

Though death so simple. Isn't unstoppable….And even the best of them fall to its feet.

His thoughts than went on to this new sister, he mused on what she would be like her looks, personality, who did she take after the most. He chuckled if it was Prue. And so on.

Than it went to the parent's this Richard Matthews. He was so sure he had heard it before. Though it wasn't just from a random person at work, the name stuck with him it was known that much he knew. Taking some of his drink he frowned and tried to think on just where he had heard the name.

'_Richard Matthews, Richard Matthews, Richard Matthew's….Richard Math—_' He paused as a thought hit him and putting his drink down on the table. He was mindful to place it on a coaster before shimmering out and appearing back in his old apartment. He looked around carefully for any signs that he might have been followed but relaxed once he felt it was safe before glancing at the abandoned living space.

He saw that it had been well kept and tidy as he looked around a little confused as he was sure that he made it to look so that it was a mess before he left. And then he realized.

'_Phoebe'_ He smiled before getting back to his task as he quickly moved over to his drawer and began pulling out sheets of paper and little booklets that he had kept in his work desk before carrying them to the table and spreading them out. Sitting down he sorted them out in piles and gazed over the different fonts that covered the fronts of them before sifting through the little books and coming across to one that struck him as familiar.

He read through it but put it down as it didn't have what he wanted and moved on to the next. The answer was somewhere in here he just knew it.

After a while he picked them up, deciding that he would look at them back at the manor he shimmered back into the living to room to find his coffee still sitting on the table. He sat back on the couch and placed the books back on the table before picking the nearest one up and started flicking through it.

It was through the third book that he heard a noise on the stairs as a second later Phoebe made her way over to him still sleepy as she looked down at him and then to the booklets on the table before asking.

"What are you doing?" She yawned mid-way as he glanced up at her smiling.

"Reading" She nodded. "I can see that but what about….And why at this time" She looked to the clock as it read half three before making her way around and sitting at his side

"Well I couldn't sleep and so thought that maybe a bit of light reading might help with the edge you know." She nodded looking down at the different kinds of little booklets he had as she picked one up.

"So what you reading" Cole looked at her as he picked up the next one and began thumbing through the pages. He glanced at her and licked his lips before waiting a moment and replying.

"Those names you are searching for?" She nodded slowly,

"Richard and Marie Matthew's" He nodded, "What about them"

"Well" And he placed the booklet down fingers interlocking, "Ever since you told me their names I have had this feeling that I know them from somewhere." Phoebe looked at him in silence. She was a little confused and stunned.

"You…..Think you know?" He nodded. "It's just the name…Matthew's; it sounds…Like I have heard it before." Siting up she faced him.

"From where" He bit his lip. "I don't know…..I think. I think from my time at the attorney office." More alert and awake Phoebe sat on her calves and was watching him as he spoke.

"Why the DA office" He shrugged, "I don't know, I just heard it in passing. I wasn't paying too much attention but I heard the name hence why I'm looking at these now" And gestured to the little pile of booklets.

"Ok so you're saying that in one of those books…..Has the name of Paige's dad in it?" He nodded, I think it has a little information on it I don't know I just remember hearing and reading something." He didn't need to say anymore as Phoebe had already shot up from her seat and rushed around the couch making her way to the stairs.

"Were you going?" He shouted as she called back bounding up the stairs "Piper needs to hear this" And moved out of sight. She came back down ten minutes later with a sleepy Piper who pulled the cardigan she was wearing over her shoulders and allowed herself to be dragged down the stairs and over to the couch as Cole kept on reading.

"Why I'm I up at this time and why I'm I here now?" She grumbled as Phoebe bounced on her feet smiling widely as she than went on to explain what Cole had been thinking and how he went back to his house on a hunch hence why they were looking at booklets now.

Once she finished Piper didn't say anything for a while as she took in all what she had just been told the best she could with her still sleep addled mind but merely moved to the couch and sat next to the demon, picking up the nearest book and got to reading leaving the others to watch after her but get the message as Phoebe joined them.

A while later and after a long time spent reading the sound of Phoebe's voice broke through the silence.

"Oh….My….God" Both looked up from their respective books to see her kneeling up and tapping the page repeatedly.

"This is it…..Here he's here." She jumped off the couch and moved over to sit next to Piper who had looked at her. She glanced at the magazine and cocked her eyebrow.

"Forbes" She turned to Cole "You read Forbes?" He shrugged none committedly. "It was just there and I was bored."

"Here Richard Matthew's" Phoebe carried on still smiling widely as Cole grinned putting down his book as he waited to hear what he had once read over but had forgotten until now.

"Well what does it say" Piper asked after a minute as the younger woman nodded and folded down the page book so it stayed open. As she coughed to clear her throat and began to speak.

"….Yaddy yada…..Something along the lines of an autobiography oh here we go."

'Richard Matthews is an American businessman, who currently serves as the co- founder of Lugo-Mex industries, along with Tom Fhenerburg. The two co- founded the company in 1985'

Phoebe carried on talking as both Piper and Cole sat and listened, their eyes widened the more the younger woman went on as she read out loud just who exactly Richard Matthew's was.

"In 2012 the company co formed with other software giant Microsoft to unveil their new product with Lugo-Mex introducing the new anti-virus system which together with Microsoft's latest offering, has seen the company's revenue increase and its name expanded to the international market's firmly cementing it as one of Forbes newest brands to make the rich list of 2012. With the net worth currently totaling."

She stopped at that as her eyes went large as she read on with the others waiting to hear, a few seconds later she carried on.

"With the company's net worth now totaling $34.6 billion. Putting it firmly at number 4 as one of America's richest companies." She finished off into silence as the others stared off in random direction's none not really knowing what to say, they hadn't known what to expect when where seeking out Paige's parents but never did they expect something like this.

"There's a picture of him here" She added reading on down the page and quickly turning it so they could see. At the bottom a man stood with what they assumed to be his partner was smiling at the camera, he was a tall man with broad shoulders. He seemed a good looking middle aged man with specks of grey tinting his dark black hair. Other than that nothing gave of his appearance of being anything over the age of late forties.

"Bit of a silver fox isn't he" Phoebe said as they gazed on at the man who had adopted their sister and who they know learnt that he was a very rich man with a billion dollar company.

"That's where I have known him" Cole suddenly added snapping his fingers. "His software anti-viruses have been added to pretty much all computers across the entire country. They updated the systems with it only a few months ago." He trailed off as they others nodded slowly still not quite believing it.

"…..Wow" Piper muttered a few minutes later as Phoebe merely nodded.

"Yeah"

Another few minutes went by as the other woman turned to her, a thought coming to her mind after getting over the revelation.

"We can use this to scry for him now" Piper looked at her and after gazing at her happy expression realized that she was right and nodded in agreement.

"It will make things a lot easier now" She spoke up, as Phoebe bounced off the couch again and dashed up the stairs to get the map. Apparently all this news had made her more alert and she wanted to find them now, Piper moved to go and make them more coffee as Cole sat and read down the page whistling at the large amount the company was worth until Phoebe returned with the map and crystal.

She placed them on the table as Piper came back with more coffee and watched as the other woman spread out the map that covered the San Francisco area as she plucked the book from Cole's hands and smiled at him sweetly before returning to her task. The others looked on as she placed it on the side and with the crystal began hovering it over the page.

Ten minutes later and still with nothing to show it left them all confused as Phoebe placed the crystal back on the side.

"I don't get it, we should have found them by now" She muttered as she let her gaze roam the map she looked back at the book to make sure she had the right page before looking back at the map and frowning.

"Maybe we need to look a little further out" Piper suggested as Cole leaned over to see where they was looking as Phoebe nodded and opened up the map further so the area they covered increased before picking up the crystal again., she was about to start scrying again when Cole interrupted.

"You might want to expand your search a little more" This had them both looking at the demon as he looked at the map and then to them.

"What do you mean" Piper asked as he picked up the booklet and looked down at the picture.

"Didn't you read the entire page" He asked as Phoebe shook her head slowly, she only got what she needed to, the picture the map and the crystal. That was all she needed, right.

She put the book down and picked up the map as the younger woman shuffled back and watched as he shook the map out fully, he put it back on the table as they now gazed down at not just the state of California. But the entire American continent.

"You might want to try it now" He spoke up again earning confused looks but very slowly Phoebe picked up the crystal and took the booklet back from him she held it over the map along with the crystal in her hand as she began scrying again with Piper watching on closely. A few minutes later they finally had the result they were after as the little crystal honed in on a location and dropped on the map.

Smiling happily both witches looked at the point it landed on only to frown in utter confusion as it was in a place that none of them had ever expected.

"It seems that you have been looking in the wrong place" Cole said as he gazed at the map and the place that it showed with Phoebe straitening and glancing at Piper who was just as confused.

"Are you sure that's right" She asked looking at the demon who nodded and picked up the book. He looked at the part that contained a little about the man and began to read out what they didn't read.

"After gaining more recognition for his software anti- viruses and technological designs. Matthews, along with his partner Fhenerburg. Decided to relocate their ever increasing company to places with more supply and demand for their programs with their headquarters being based in the upper side of Manhattan. The financial district. They now own one of the largest brands in the Upper East Side, employing over 10,000 people in the New York branch alone."

He stopped at the end of the page and looked up at them as they stayed silent listening to him.

"It wasn't the west coast you needed to search for…..It was the East." Both Piper and Phoebe gazed at each other in realization to his words.

"Looks like you're going to New York City"

* * *

**So there we have it, new chapter down. Again i'm not to sure of it was entirely believable but i like to think it could be but either way its up to you to decide. **

**:D**


	9. New York State Of Mind

**I'm back.**

**Sorry for the late update had been busy but hopefully this little bit longer than normal chapter will make up to my wonderful readers. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and now to answer a particular question.**

**To lizard Momma - The reason why Paige's dad is a businessman and not a firefighter like in the show is because it fits in to how the story plays out, and as i have said before the story is going to be a lot different to what was cannon. I thought it was a nice little twist and i hope that as the story progresses everyone who reads will like the changes to.**

**Hi14 x - Lol yes if i had rich parent's i wouldn't want to meet my real family either. **

**Now on with the story. :) **

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"New York?"

Cole nodded as he placed the book on the table in which both sisters bent their heads to read on from where he left off. A few minutes of silence past and Piper bit her bottom lip.

"So….New York" At this Phoebe sighed.

"This has gotten so much bigger hasn't it?"

Cole nodded as he saw her face and rubbed her arm soothingly, "I mean how the hell are we meant to scour the entire side of East coast?" She asked looking a little depleted at the map and where the crystal had dropped over the New York area.

"But Pheebs you lived in New York remember? This should be easy for you." Piper replied with a little smile as the younger woman shook her head

"Yeah I did but I only ever stayed in the Queen's side. I never went to any of these places and" As she read the passage on the location of the company branch.

"Manhattan was one of the places anyone living in queens had no place being. Not because it was too far to get to, but the fact that one was a rich person hot spot and the other was where the little people lived." She finished throwing her hand out at the map.

"And if the company is situated in that part of the district than I think it's safe to say that they live in pretty much one of the upper parts of the richer sides." She let go of the breath she had been holding and looked at Piper a little helplessly as the older witch had to muse on that. She didn't know a lot. Scratch that. She didn't know anything about New York or the East Coast for that matter; she had missed out on the opportunity to go to a conference there when she was working at the bank.

And if what Phoebe had told them way back when she returned is that New York was pretty much made up of borough's…..Bronx, Queens where she lived, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island. And each one of them had at least over a million living, so yes. They did have a huge monumental task ahead of them; she rubbed her hands over her face as she tried to work out what their next step was to be.

"Ok" She spoke after a while as Phoebe and Cole who had been talking to themselves quietly turned to look at her, she moved over to the table and threw herself down into a chair as the others followed suit. Sitting next to her as she bent over the large map in front of them.

"Ok well…..Like Phoebe said New York is a big place and yes we do have I'm not going to lie. A long way to go, I doubt Mom would have known just how big this had got when she gave her up. I guess she always thought she would have stayed in San Francisco never mind moving across country." She let out a small laugh as to ease the reality of the situation before getting back to the point.

"But like you also said it's divided, and the rich have Manhattan as their little playground so that's one crossed of the list." Phoebe nodded as Piper spoke.

"So and this is going to sound crazy. When we _go _to look. We have our starting point." This time it was Phoebe who let out the laugh. As they looked at her seeing her smile.

"You know if I hadn't of already lived in New York once before what you just said would have sounded so stupid." Cole chuckled a little as she carried on.

"And now….Just saying those words out loud, they seem…..Unreal." The others smiled knowing what she meant. This still felt a bit surreal and now they faced a cross country search to find the sister they had never known. Just knowing her name was one thing but the more they found out and to learn that she was essentially an heiress, as Cole pointed out before. To a billion dollar company. Made it all seem like a dream.

If stranger things hadn't of happened to them of course.

It was another few minutes before Phoebe spoke up again.

"She might have been there"

"What"

"She might have been there….In New York when I was" She looked at them as the thought hit her.

"I could have been living in the same city as our unknown sister and hell maybe even walked past her at one point and, I would never have known." She finished a little more sadly. She looked at them as Piper reached for her hand and gave her a small sad smile.

"Don't worry we will find her" Piper said softly as Phoebe nodded. They sat in silence for a few more minutes before realizing the time and decided that they should try and get as much sleep as possible. Now that they knew for sure where she was both had made the choice to forego work in favour of getting as much information as possible. With another spoken goodnight they made their way to their rooms though still a little tired knowing that they were getting ever closer made them both feel more hopeful and ready for the new day ahead.

A few hours later saw them sat at the table in the lounge Phoebe had brought her laptop down and Piper sat next to her as they looked up what they could on Richard Matthew's. If they had known who he was in the first place than looking online would have been the first thing they would have done. Cole had gone to his apartment in the hopes of getting new clothes leaving them to their investigations.

They had already read up on where he was born and was surprised to find that it was in California like they had assumed, he was from Atlanta. And he had moved to California when he was 15 with his family before finishing school and going to university.

"Wow says here that he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968, he was the second highest in his year with an A.B. in mathematics and economics." She carried on reading the list of high held jobs he had on his way to creating the company he still ran before coming to a stop at the mention of his wife.

"Ah here we are…Whilst on a location trip to San Francisco he met his now wife Marie Granger in a restaurant. The two dated for three years before deciding to set up home. They lived in the San Fernando valleys for six years before the announcement that they had adopted a child a few months prior."

At that both had now given their full attention as they both stared intently at the screen before coming to the bottom and pulled back confused.

"It doesn't mention her" Piper spoke up cutting the silence as Phoebe nodded slowly, looking again to see if they had missed her name being mentioned only to be positive that they hadn't, left them still just as confused.

"Well why doesn't it say anything about her?" Piper spoke up again as the other woman shrugged before clicking off the website on the businessman before scouring down and clicking on another site.

After a few minutes of reading and clicking on more web pages Phoebe gleefully let out a small "Ah-hah"

"Businessman bans photographs" She turned to face Piper who frowned but nudged her to keep reading as she went back to speaking out loud.

"Lugo Mex founder Richard Matthew's has today issued a statement banning any and all photos of his daughter and including her in any profile's that might be done in magazines under the threat of legal action." Phoebe cast a small glance over to Piper who pursed her lips and returned her gaze to the screen.

"It comes as the little girl in question was knocked down a flight of stairs during a scuffle involving Mr Matthew's and photographers" Phoebe gasped at the words trying not to imagine Paige at a young age being thrown down stairs as Piper felt sorry for her.

"He made the statement after returning home from the hospital where five year old Paige Matthew's received seven stitches to the side of her head. Citing that he wanted her to have a normal childhood without the annoyance of being followed around."

Finishing off the rest of the paragraph they learnt when the issue was made there was already a few pictures of the family together and so they quickly searched for any that had Paige in them only to find that they was either too far away to see her face or she had her head turned and all they could see was the dark brown almost black head of hair she had.

"Not much to see" She said unhappily though a little glad to see something of her, Piper hummed her agreement. They didn't know if this would help or hinder their progress and so Piper went off to make coffee as Phoebe decided to look some more. Cole returned a little while later having fully washed, changed and shaved. As he took a seat next to her before she explained to him all that they had read.

"So there is not much to go on" He asked looking at the screen as she shrugged, "Don't know….I mean we have where they live and her parents name so I guess we could use that…In some way" She trailed off not sounding too sure as Piper returned, she placed the cups on the side

"What it means is that we just have to do some serious tourist searching when we get there" She added speaking up for the younger woman who nodded and wrapped her hands around the hot mug.

"Right...Has anyone told Leo" She asked looking at Piper, the whitelighter had been doing some as Phoebe put it, recon searching for any spells that might help them while trying not to get caught. He had been gone for a while and they hadn't seen him in a few days.

"No….But I think that we might just have to" She said back looking at the ceiling and casually calling out.

"LEO!"

A few seconds later the shimmering colour of blue orbs appeared and the tell-tale form of her husband emerged as he looked around.

"Hey" He smiled at them before setting eyes on Cole as the demon nodded his head at him, the other man smiled back pleasantly as it had been surprise to see the man who went into hiding after Prue's funeral.

"So what's up" He asked looking at them. "Sit down" Phoebe said a little excitedly patting the chair as he moved around the side and took the seat next to Piper giving her a kiss on the cheek as he did.

"Have you found anymore on you know who" He muttered as Piper turned to him.

"They don't know do they? Have they found out?" He shook his head.

"No, I was careful to look when they didn't need me for anything and always went to my charges so they didn't sense anything funny" He told them as Phoebe let out a sigh of relief much to Cole's confusion.

"Er…..What" Phoebe looked at him sensing his fogginess explained that after finding out about Paige from their Mom and he request that they find her, had asked Leo to find anything that might help them take the locator spell's off her so they could make it easier. She turned back to the whitelighter once she had finished and asked hopefully.

"So have you?" He shook his head sadly,

"Sorry. It's a big library and I haven't had time to search through it all properly" She looked a little put off but nodded all the same. A few seconds later she shrugged it off as she remembered the others news they had.

"But you'll never guess what" She said patting his hand excitedly as Cole chuckled, Piper smiled as Leo let out his own little chuckle.

"Not until someone actually tells me" He replied as Phoebe nodded and began to tell him all they had found out in his absence. She told him about how Cole came back and once he had fought off the trackers and was informed of Paige and how they had been trying to find her which included going to the church, speaking to the nun who had been the one to look after her when she arrived and then finding out the name of her parents.

This had led the demon to remembering that he had heard of the name before which than led him to the business magazines in which the name was mentioned.

The other man's eyes went wide when Phoebe revealed that Paige's father was one of the richest businessmen in America with a near enough multi-billion dollar company.

Once she had finished the whitelighter sat in stunned silence. He didn't know what to expect on this incognito mission but never did he expect something like this, he looked at them as Phoebe smiled and then to Piper who nodded to confirm that is was true before letting out the breath he was holding.

"…..Wow, that's her…..Just…..Wow" He mumbled, he glanced over to the table which still held the outstretched map and books as he noticed that the crystal was over the east side of the country before frowning.

"So what's this about…..Another demon or something." Piper shook her head and let out a dry laugh as Phoebe took up the mantle of explaining again.

"Well we thought that now we have the name, blanket, photo and all that. It would be easier to find him and so started scrying in the usual places. But we couldn't pick him up anywhere. And as Cole said to us we needed to look a little further out."

Leo nodded as he put it together and looked back at the map again before it came to him he turned back to them as they watched his expression.

"Wait….So he's in New York?" Phoebe nodded, once again stunning the whitelighter. "So does that mean do you think?"

"That Paige is there to….yeah" Piper this time spoke up, "They moved when she was six and wanna know something else that's funny" She smiled sarcastically as the other man didn't think anything could now shock him but nodded.

"There's an injunction on her" He sat in silence a confused at the statement.

"What"

"There is an order to ban any picture's being taken of her after an accident in which she was knocked down some stairs when she was five. It had her dad issuing the order under threat of legal involvement."

He was wrong, this shocked him more. He blinked stupidly a couple of times taking in the news that he had been told; he didn't expect any of this when he woke up today.

"So what…." Piper sighed.

"We had been hoping to see if there was any of her and what she looks like now, cos it would put an end to this frankly ever increasing strain of a task. But no because it's us the beings that are decided they were bored and so screwed us over again for funnies" She stopped her rant under the amused and questioning brows of Phoebe and Cole. She saw them look and sneered.

"Oh don't give me that we all thought it I just said it." This had them both laughing.

"So what are you going to do" He asked staring at his wife as she faced him.

"Well what do we normally do when we have to go hunt or someone?" He waited a few seconds before answering.

"Find them and go to them." He asked hesitantly as she smiled and nodded. The others were waiting for him to get the point and so calmly stayed silent. The whitelighter took a few minutes to think about it as Piper, seeing his facial expressions counted down in her head until.

"Wait…..You're going to New York!?" They all smiled when he finally caught on as Piper chuckled at his expression before shaking her head.

"Oh no dear husband of mine. _We're _going to New York." She replied and sat back in her seat as he gaped.

"We….You mean…..Us as in." He pointed them the others as she nodded. She leant over and placed her finger on his chest.

"….You to" If she had a camera at that moment she could have hung a portrait of his face as it was when he heard that. He stuttered for another moment before speaking.

"….Me" Was all he could come up with weakly as Piper nodded, "Well of course, who else is going to take us?" She asked as Leo bit his lip.

"What about Cole" She looked over to the demon who had been listening in smiling and nodded.

"Yes he could but no, you're still coming with sweetie." She patted his hand as he just nodded. "And besides you can still see to your charges. We'll be doing the searching." She said

"Though I doubt it won't be too hard to find, apparently from what Cole has said this….Building place is rather big and given it's in the financial district. Narrows our looking down a lot."

She smiled happily as if all the problems they faced had been sorted. Again Leo for his part just nodded, he really didn't know what to do and arguing would only irritate her more and so decided to stay quiet as he quickly fell into his role of designated orber. Piper left the table to start on the dinner as Phoebe had turned to Cole and had started to talk with him leaving Leo to come up with a reason as to why if they did, would the Elders suddenly see them over on the other side of the country for seemingly no reason.

Two weeks later saw them all ready for their impromptu mission with Phoebe having taken official time off, she had been in the entire two weeks and had been killing herself making up the assignments that Elise had set, she was just thankful that Cole had come back and so helped when demons did strike as she really couldn't afford to get on her bosses bad side.

So when the time came she had told the other woman that she was attending a wedding in New York and that she would be gone for at least a good few days maybe even a week. The older woman wanted to complain and moan about the family emergency's that always came with the columnist but realized that she couldn't as it wasn't an emergency and that she had gone through and had told her beforehand she was taking the time off and so with a lot of grumbling, conceded and wished her a happy time

Piper was lucky to actually own the club she worked at and so merely had to place one of her most trusted and senior staff as acting head before taking the time off, Lucy for her part had been ecstatic to be given the opportunity to prove herself and so had promised with every bit of her being that Piper would have a club to come back to, Piper had laughed and with a thickly veiled threat had sincerely hoped she would be able to keep to that when the time came.

Cole for his part had been doing more in-depth looking and searching for hotels they could stay at. Ones that would be near the business area's but also one that where near to places they could go and see. The huge central park, the empire state building, Fifth Avenue and one place that he had liked when he was here some years back. The great white way maybe to take in a show.

He knew that they weren't there to see Broadway but if they did have the time. He would like to see all the places that he had missed and that had gotten better with time. And though Phoebe had lived in New York herself for a time he didn't think she had gone to any of those places and so would like to take her there to.

Leo had been busily tending to his charges, making sure that they were safe and that they didn't need him as much. Yes Piper had said that he could still tend to them but it was more for their sake just as much as his charges. The Elder might be watching and so seeing him to his job the best he could might just have them overlooking him and the sisters. He didn't fancy getting summoned to explain and answer questions he really couldn't.

So the time had finally come and each one of them was feeling some sort of emotion. Piper, uncertainty. She didn't know what they would find when there and so wasn't taking anything to chance. She was also weary of Paige; she knew that there was a chance that they may not find her on their first visit. But on that one per cent they might. She wondered just what would happen.

Though she would save her apprehension for that moment.

Leo was nervous and with good reason. He had been running himself ragged and was sure that the Elders were happy with his work. They also had meetings which would keep them occupied and so that gave them a reprieve, but he still couldn't take that at face value. And so quietly allowed himself to worry.

Cole though only just having heard of this new sister most recently and didn't really fully understand. Felt a tingle when he was booking the hotel and getting directions. Though none of them knew what Paige was going to be like he still couldn't help but get that nagging feeling that she was going to be a lot like the eldest and deceased Prue.

She had been the last to meet him and on instantly took a disliking to him though he and Phoebe maintained his innocence and good nature she did have reason to be wary and so he couldn't really fault her for that.

Though it didn't stop him from being annoyed with her….With the odd occasional murder fantasy.

And so was willing to bet that just like her, this new one would also take a strong hate to him. Besides she was part- whitelighter from what he was been told by Leo and so it was half her instinct's to immediately be cautious of him.

Phoebe had been feeling her own worries….As well as theirs. Being a person of emotion it was natural for her to feel what those around her was,

And she hated it.

It was bad enough that she had only just gotten the hang of her new power with Leo's help, but now that she had let her guard down for that one second. Everyone else's apprehensions had hit her hard. Resulting in the night before they left she had locked herself in the basement and told them to bugger off when they asked what was wrong.

The next day was simple and went by without fuss as normally they would be rushing around trying to find last minute items they would be taking or passports that had been mislaid or the tickets. But the god thing about having two people who could orb or shimmer was that all that could be cut out, instead all they needed was their boo kin details and bags.

After making sure for the tenth time the house was secure Piper was finally satisfied and grabbed hers and Leo's bags before meeting the others in the hallways where Phoebe and Cole was already waiting, Phoebe bouncing on her feet at the excitement despite her feelings. Cole was smiling fondly at her as Leo was at the side.

"Ready?" He asked as she nodded prompting a small squeal from Phoebe

"Oh this is soooo exciting; I'll take you around my old haunts. The Jet's pub, the club that always lets in underage—"

"Pheeb's, we don't have the time to go around looking at places you visited." Piper added looking over to Leo's other side.

"Sorry but we're there for a mission and I don't want no distractions in doing so." She stood up straight and missed the sly glance both Cole and Phoebe wore. She was gonna be pissed at the tickets they had gotten to see Wicked if that was the case. But they would see to that later as she took hold of his hand and felt the air around them distort as they shimmered out of the manor with Leo and Piper orbing after seconds later leaving the manor large and empty as they set off for their New York adventure.


	10. Concrete Jungle

**And i'm back.**

**Know it's been a while, for that i apologize but i had to make sure i got this right seeing as i'm now writing about a place i have no clue about. **

**In order for me not to offend anyone from New York, i wanted to make sure that i had the right information as to not actually upset anyone.**

**Before we get back to the story at hand, i would just like to thank LizardMomm****a, who was nice enough to tell me what New yorkers were like. I do hope that i don't actually insult anyone as this story progresses and so if i do. I apologize firstly here.**

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They re-materialized in between two building blocks as Piper looked around. She took a few seconds to assess where they were before pulling her face and turning to Leo.

"Sweetie…..Out of all the places you could have taken us to why are we standing in the middle of a filthy alley?" Phoebe nodded in agreement before side stepping a large muddy puddle and pulled Cole with her as she gave the whitelighter a little look. She may have gone with Cole but the demon was following him and so didn't make the face at the man next to her.

Leo looked and on seeing the faces sighed, sometimes he hated the ability to orb.

"I did it Honey, so that we didn't risk exposure. Would you rather we have orbed into the middle of a coffee house instead." The question was meant to be rhetorical but Piper nodded her head anyway, he huffed again and fell silent.

"Well as much as we do love a good dumpster talk" Phoebe began as she edged away from the foul smelling trash. "Knew there was always something I didn't miss about this place" She muttered to herself before speaking up again.

"Don't you think we should be moving now…..Preferably out that way and to the hotel…..You know, the nice, clean shower holding hotel." She added and watched as Piper grabbed her bag and left them standing behind as she made her way out onto the street. The other woman smiled and patted Cole on the cheek before leaving him and Leo and catching up with her sister.

Shrugging, Leo picked up the remaining bag and followed suit as Cole was about to but his foot hit a block as he looked down only to find that Phoebe had left all the bags with him, he looked up to see that they had gone around the corner leaving him alone as he grumbled but lifted the bags from the floor and ambled his way out after them.

He might have been a demon but that still didn't mean he wasn't immune to all that the younger woman had brought and so struggled with its weight.

Finally catching up to them he looked around the busy streets as the others took a moment to fully realize just what they had gotten themselves into. Phoebe not so much as she was smiling.

"Good god we're going to get lost here…Aren't we" Piper said sadly as she gazed at the mass of people shuffling around them in a bid to get to their destination.

"I might as well just ring Lucy and tell her that I won't ever be back…..She can keep the club," Piper went on dramatically as Phoebe rolled her eyes and linked her arm.

"Not on this street you're not" She said making the older woman look at her, "What do you mean?" She grinned and turned them around before starting to move dragging her along.

"Well this doesn't seem all that crowded" She said as they moved along the path with the others struggling to catch up, Piper gave her a look of disbelieving as she snorted.

"Pheeb's we have been here all of four minutes and already I have seen more people on one street than I have on ours back home. How can you say that this isn't possibly crowded?" The older woman said still staring like she was mad making Phoebe chuckle again as they stopped at the end of the street.

"Because Piper dear this is, if I have my knowledge still…."She trailed off looking over the tops of the apartments going along the tops until she let out a small 'HA'

"We're in Brooklyn…See there's the bridge" She pointed as they looked and saw the large bridge off in the distance. Piper nodded but was confused as to why that was important.

"So" Phoebe turned to look at her, "So what"

"So what's that got to do with the sheer number of people I have seen so far" She grumbled, the younger woman smiled as she did so getting what she meant.

"Because if I also know my streets I would say that we are in downtown Brooklyn." She looked at the signs that led off in different directions until she came to see that they were all staring at her.

"What" She looked at Cole, who mused before speaking,

"So we're in downtown Brooklyn" She nodded, he smiled and carried on.

"And"

She looked at him blankly as he stared back still smiling. After a few seconds of nothing, she frowned.

"Well what"

"…..What's on the other side of the bridge Pheeb's" Piper cut in, she didn't want to be standing in the middle of god knows where in the middle of a place they clearly didn't have to be in .

"The other side" Piper nodded with a 'that's what I just said' expression, as Phoebe thought for a few seconds.

"Queen's" She didn't get what they were on about and looked at them strangely….Maybe they just didn't know which places where which.

"So what has the fact that we now know we are in Brooklyn got to do with how many people we have seen already."

"…Oh….OH now I get you," Phoebe smiled a littler as Piper closed her eyes.

"Well I was just saying; if you think this is bad just wait until we get further in to New York." At that Piper's eyes snapped open again as she rounded on the younger woman.

"What do you mean further in?" It was Phoebe's turn to look at her incredulously. "I mean when we get to the hotel. Which I take isn't in Brooklyn" Cole shook his head when she glanced at him.

"So what that means we have to keep moving" Phoebe nodded her head slowly.

"And that there is Queen's" She pointed to the bridge which led off over the water to the other side. Again she nodded.

"And I take it that since Cole hasn't said anything our hotel isn't on this side of the river right?" She nodded.

"Ok…..And where Cole just might our hotel actually be?" The tone she used brokered no room for argument as the demon cowed slightly; he figured that since they were going to be looking around the financial district. He was best getting accommodation to where it was in easy reaching distance without having to orb or shimmer. He knew now what Piper was getting at and so took a few small steps away from the person who was going to get the backlash.

"Er…..Well, I booked us in at the wellington hotel" He said quietly

"That's nice and where again is that?"

"That…Would be in Manhattan" She nodded her head slowly.

Cole inched away from Leo and closer to Phoebe as he smiled and took her hand; they both watched as Leo jumped slightly as his wife suddenly turned and were now standing in front of him.

"So tell me….Oh sweet husband of mine. If Cole has booked the hotel in Manhattan and as Phoebe has just kindly informed us, isn't this part. Why the hell did you bring us here!" She yelled out the last part as the whitelighter took a step back from his angry wife. Phoebe giggled as he held up his hands in surrender.

"I have charges in this area." He tried to explain but she cut him off again.

"Charges" He nodded,

"Do you have to visit one right now?" He shook his head.

"So why did you bring us here" She asked again her face still scowling as he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck

"I don't have any charges in Manhattan believe it or not. Most are either back home, you two, scattered about the place. Or in Europe."

She crossed her arms and glared at him, "You don't have charges in any other parts of New York?" Her tine was a little skeptical but the blonde shook his head.

"No…Most are here and the others like I said are either you two or in other parts. I haven't a reason to go in to Manhattan so I don't bother."

It was silent for a few minutes' before Phoebe cut the tension.

"…..That's just weird" He grinned a little and nodded. Cole let out a small breath before picking up the bags he had dropped to the floor. Looking around he realized that they were still standing on the side of the street.

"Er…..Not really sure if you guys have noticed, but we can't actually go to the hotel….You know. Out here" And gestured to their location as Piper glanced about before nodding and without any words started walking. The rest watched her go before deciding that it might have been good to follow her as Phoebe ran to catch up. The demon and whitelighter gave each other small looks before trudging after them bags in tow.

Moving to another small deserted ally Piper stopped and waited for them keeping a look out in case anyone saw them after a few seconds. They joined her as she smiled at Leo who was struggling with the weight of the luggage in his arms. He balanced the heavy items before sensing eyes on him and looked up to see his wife cheerfully smiling at him.

They stared off for a little while before he gave a weak chuckle and spoke.

"Yes honey"

Piper widened her smile to one that he knew was her 'what do you think' smile before replying.

"What are we waiting for?" Still staring at her he bit his lip. Didn't she see the heavy bags she had hoisted on him? A few more seconds went by before he took deep breath. Sometimes being a pacifist was the worst.

"Well sweetie I have bags in my hand, you know…Bags, heavy bags…" He trailed off as the witch didn't say anything merely cocked her head slightly; Cole and Phoebe were smirking at the interaction as Leo sighed out and spoke up again.

"You could help carry some of the bags Piper" Giving up the notion of asking nicely. Piper looked at the mention bags he held before sighing and reached forwards. He smiled as she did so and held out his hand only to have her take the smallest luggage piece which held a few clothes and their money. With his hand still held out, the whitelighter gaped at her as she stood up straight again.

"Happy now" His mouth dropped a little as Cole tried to keep in his laugh. Leo sighed and nodded knowing it was the best he was going to get. Re-tightening his grip on the remaining bags he held. Which was still basically all of them he moved closer as Piper slid her arm through his and was about to orb when he stopped.

"What now" He glared at the woman the side of him before looking to Cole.

"I don't actually know were abouts the hotel is" He admitted sheepishly. Phoebe couldn't help but laugh out loud leaving Piper to scowl again.

"I'm sorry ok. Like I said, I haven't been to Manhattan before." He replied defending himself just as Cole nodded chuckling.

"Ok, how about me and Phoebe go ahead and then you can sense for her in a minute?" He offered as Leo smiled gratefully and nodded. They both were still laughing as they shimmered out leaving the other two waiting patiently. A few seconds of silence later and Leo heard Piper mutter.

"Can't find Manhattan…..What kind of whitelighter can't find Manhattan? She looked away as he grit his teeth and thought really hard not to reply instead focused on Phoebe. Closing his eyes he searched until he could feel her presence and with no word of warning, pulled Piper to him before orbing out.

Orbing back in this time behind a large group of trees. Piper looked around as they took in the new change of scenery before spotting Phoebe and Cole sitting on a bench. She was about to move away but stopped as she looked back at Leo. He was bending down and about to struggle with the bags again when she joined him and picked up two of the more heavier ones.

He looked at her as she smiled a little at him before speaking.

"….I could have helped you more" He looked at her before returning her smile and with a kiss he picked up the rest of the bags now considerably lighter, before walking after her as she met up with the other's.

Phoebe beamed at them as they came and sat down just as Cole pointed over to the hotel that was across from them on the opposite side of the park in which they had arrived in.

"I thought it would make it look less suspicious if we showed up in an ally again. This way people will think we just took a walk around the park before checking in." Piper nodded at his logic as Phoebe leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Isn't he so smart" She cooed as Leo laughed at the slight blush crossing the feared demon's face. Piper looked to the hotel they would be staying in; she took in the large building design and the fashionable decor and hoped that wasn't too expensive, they may in a city that she would like to see more off but that didn't mean she wanted to go bankrupt whilst doing so.

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go settle in." She stood up from the bench and picked up the bags. "We have a lot to do. And I don't want to be wasting any more time so come on." With that she made her way around the large water feature that was in the middle and headed to the hotel on the other side.

"Well looks like sightseeing will have to wait for a while." Phoebe said a little forlorn as she watched her sister make her way across the road. Cole rubbed her arm and pulled her up to a standing position as they followed Piper along the path.

"Don't worry; we can make time to look around at the end." He said smiling as the smaller woman looked at him.

"Promise" She muttered as he laughed and kissed her temple.

"I promise. And maybe if she's nice to us. Catch a show." He grinned at the little squeal she let out before she jumped on him slightly wrapping her arms around his neck. He snaked his arm across her waist and trudged along after Leo still holding the happy woman in his arms the best he could.

Once they had caught up to Piper she was waiting for them in the lobby. They placed the bags down as Leo looked over to the front desk.

"I don't know the details" Was the response to the silent question he was thinking, he chuckled and moved to her side giving her a small peck on the cheek just as Cole, still holding Phoebe. Dropped the bags down with the rest of them.

"What's the matter" He asked staring at them.

"Whose name did you book in under" Piper asked as the demon glanced at her before biting his lip.

"Didn't I put it under you?" He asked as she shrugged, she wasn't about to go and make an idiot of herself the very first moment she got there and so looked back as Cole deposited Phoebe to the side of him before bending down and unzipping the side bag he had with him. Pulling out a sheet of paper he stood back up as he read the printed receipt before giving his answer.

"Hmmm…Look's like I put it under me" He mused on that. He really couldn't remember doing so, having only ever stayed in a hotel twice in his life, both time's back in the 1600's he had given his name but his travelling companions had paid the bill. Guess now it was his turn as he looked at the price. It was a pay when you arrive hotel and so shrugging he placed the paper in his pocket.

"I'll be back in a minute." He moved over to the front desk to see to the checking's leaving the others to look around as he did so; it was a very nice hotel. Large and filled with art paintings that they figured with it being a five star hotel. Must have cost a lot.

Cole came back just as Piper slapped Phoebe's hand away from a large vase full of flowers and handed Piper a key card.

"Your room in the one across from us." He said as she held the little door card in her hand, she looked down at the small it of plastic before nodding, she really just wanted to get in and put the bags down. She didn't realize just how much she had packed until she had picked up the bags.

They took the elevator up, Piper having dragged Phoebe who wanted to go by the stairs as the younger woman sulked. Piper ignored her as they reached their floor and heaved the bags out and down the hall until at last they reached their room. Sighing out heavily but happily she opens the door and leave's the bags in the hall. She didn't care she needed to sit down.

Hearing a sigh and chuckle she moves and throws herself on the admittedly very comfy plush king sized bed in the middle. A few seconds later after hearing the other door close, Leo ambles in with the rest of the bags behind him.

"I have to say, this isn't bad." She says looking around. The view outside is spectacular; the whole of central park could be seen from the large window overlooking the small lake in the middle. The room itself was gorgeous, white and cream colored shadings patterned the wall. The duvets were silk and she could easily find herself stealing them on the return trip home.

All in all it may have been a scouting mission but she didn't see any reason why she couldn't make the most of her time here.

When she had made them work hard for the first part of course.

Looking around she really couldn't believe that this was just a hotel room. From the way the bathroom had the stylish walk in shower to the pristine white tiles that surrounded the room. To the large screen television on the wall in front of their bed. It looked more like the bedroom of a rich person.

And she couldn't help but wonder, if this was merely a room in a five star hotel, just what would Paige's house look like? She didn't think she lived with her parents but seeing as she was an only child. Would have been spoilt and so an expensive house was just something to cross of the list. Along with the car and everything else rich children got.

Musing on those thoughts for a few more minutes she felt the bed dip with the bags Leo placed by her before deciding to see just how well the shower facilities was. Sliding from the bed, she made her way to the side room just as the whitelighter began unzipping the bags.

"I'm just taking a shower honey" She said as he nodded not looking as he carried on unpacking, she shut the door and proceeded to immerse herself with the workings before stepping into the warm waterfall and pondered on what their next course of action would be.

They would get themselves acquainted with this new city first. It would do no good to get lost on the very first day here and she didn't want to lose the time they had. Than they would do some research on the business part of the city, find out what they could before making their next move.

But for now she closed her eyes and left all the worries that this self-imposed find and….She wouldn't say rescue. But find and meet the sister they never had, they had set themselves. She knew it would get a lot harder from there on and so she wanted to enjoy the quite solitary peace that came with having a shower afforded.

Letting the water cascade down her back she took her time. Knowing that when she got out, it would be the starting's of their task in the big jungle that was New York City


	11. The Next Stop

**Is it a bird, is it a plane?...No it's just me.**

**I can not actually say how long this has been in the making, it has just slipped by me for so long...Wow...Sorry to those who wanted an update...Things just got in the way and i did have a little hiatus so that could be counted to why it has taken me so long. **

**But anyway here it is the new chapter, i hope it's as good as the rest. Not to sure but hey, it's a start to getting it back up again.**

**Happy reading, :) **

* * *

Throwing herself down on the couch and closing her eyes Piper let out a long, deep breath. They had been in New York for nearly three days now and so far had come up with nothing. They had split up the first day so it was easier for them to cover more ground. She and Leo naturally, had tackled Staten Island and Queens whilst Cole and Phoebe searched the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Their plan was simple to try to find the living area of the Matthews. The magazine hadn't been of much use after they had first found them and the internet was no help either, it seemed money did buy you a lot of things and mass increase of security was just one of them. Cole had given up when back in San Francisco saying the only way they was going to find the house was if he hacked into a personal web link. Which he was not risking going to jail for if he got caught.

That and he didn't know how to, over a hundred years old and the most he could do on a computer was send emails and look on the web.

So that left them with the good old-fashioned searching by tourist method, one which the elder witch was really starting to hate. They had agreed that since the only place they hadn't yet looked was Manhattan, they would do that together. She heard Leo ambling about in the en-suite before the rushing of water indicating the shower being switched on she sighed again and lent her head back.

Today they had just finished looking over the rest of Staten Island. Tomorrow would be Manhattan it was the smallest and so by logic the easiest to look around…She hoped. She rested for a while relaxing in the quietness until the latch from the bathroom clicked and Leo emerged. He had run himself ragged orbing from place to place hunting potential houses that Paige might live in. Areas that might be the right neighborhood he had covered the course of two huge boroughs in the space of two days he had used a mass amount of energy in doing so and needed to sorely rest.

If he wasn't already dead he was pretty sure that this would have finished him off.

Once he had dried himself off he went and joined Piper on the couch mirroring her in the long-suffering sigh. "No Cole and Phoebe?" She shook her head. She had no idea just how long it took considering that Cole's shimmering was just as fast as Leo's orbing. But they were always the last ones to return. He nodded and closed his eyes again when he had learned all about the new sister he, once gotten over his shock. Would have thought it easy to find her given she was one half whitelighter.

But then the more he learnt it dawned on him that she wasn't just a whitelighter. She was in fact an Elder, that would have made it all but guaranteed to find her….But no.

It seemed when Patty and Sam hide her they hid her well, right now he was cursing concealing spells and even more so, Elder hiding abilities. It made his job that much harder. Getting up he stretched his muscles just as the door opened and in bounced and excited Phoebe followed by a much more demure Cole. Piper glanced up at the happy looking younger woman who was beaming down at her as Leo greeted the other man.

"What" Piper asked as she gazed on at the still smiling younger woman. "Have you found the house?" To her surprise Phoebe shook her head making Piper cock hers slightly to the side. "Then why do you look like you have?" Cole had joined them at the sofa and now smiled at Piper in greeting as she turned to the much calmer looking demon.

"Can you explain to me why my sister looks like the joker right now?" She asked as Leo chuckled, Cole smirked in reply before nodding.

"We think we might have a way to find the house without means of exhausting ourselves by searching on foot." He said. This had the older woman sitting up, she had already gotten sick of travelling on foot the second day in and was complaining at the fact that more was to follow. But if they had come up with a way to cut that all out then she was more than listening.

"Go on…" Leo had sat back down beside her keen to hear as Cole was about to explain before a rumbling cut the silence and he looked down at his stomach before giving them a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I didn't bother getting lunch before." He said as Piper rolled her eyes, Leo laughed again before getting up and looking at the take out menus they had acquired along the hunt. They may have been staying in one of New York's most expensive hotels but that didn't mean they had to order the food as well.

Half an hour later saw them sat around the table in the corner as Cole and Phoebe went over their plan they had come up with whilst out searching. Piper and Leo waited until the demon had finished his Italian bread before divulging the rest of the tale.

"What we were thinking. Our stay here is coming to an end and we have no more got any closer to finding her since the first day we arrived." At that Leo nodded and Piper mimicked, reluctantly. She hated not having things go the way they needed and cursed their luck. As they looked back at the other two.

"And since we are covering the last part on our map, which coincidentally, also happens to be the home of Broadway" He added cheerily as Piper rolled her eyes, "Get on with it "He held up his hands.

"Ok well it's also the home of wall street. Which as we all know is also the financial district." They nodded once more. They had all decided to leave that until the end seeing as they wanted to go about this as quietly as possible and knowing that the Elders might come bearing down on them at any moment since Leo was spending a longer amount of time in New York than anywhere. Gave them little time in which to work with

"And what with Leo being able to glamour an all that make's things easier, though I could do it just as good. I thought he might be able to get a better sense—"

"Cole. Where is this heading?" the older woman interrupted him as he took a deep breath. "We go and infiltrate his office." It was silent around the table as all looked at the taller man.

"…When you say break into his office. You mean…" He nodded, "Yep, I mean we go to the head building, sneak into his office and get the home address that way." Phoebe smiled as he finished the brilliant plan they came up with and glanced at the others for their reaction. Leo looked horrified at the thought of breaking and entering whilst Piper simply sat there staring forwards.

"You're serious" Leo was the first to speak as he looked across at them Phoebe nodded as Cole shrugged, "Well it's a plan. And the only one we have at the moment." The whitelighter snorted, some plan while they were at it, why didn't they just invite the guards man to come and watch them maybe even get a picture. He shook his head and looked at his wife knowing that she too would think it stupid.

"Piper" She hadn't said anything as the blonde looked at her, "Sweetie?" She finally responded and looked at him. "Hmm" He smiled at spoke.

"You agree with me right? That this is a stupid idea?" Ignoring the scowl Phoebe gave him he looked at his wife with a smile as she slowly deliberated on what she thought honestly. Was the best idea that they had, had all week, biting her lip she very slowly scrunched her face. He knew that look. He hated that look.

"…You're seriously considering it?" He asked his voice slightly high with disbelief as she nodded. He sat up a little and turned to fully face her "Piper" She shrugged. "What? It's not like we have had any luck so far and this might actually be the plan we needed all along." She looked at Phoebe and Cole "Good work you guys" Phoebe smiled as Cole preened slightly at the compliment. Leo still not quite believing scoffed as the others rolled their eyes.

"Get over it honey, your outvoted." She smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek before getting back to her food. After a while he sighed knowing that now they had a viable if not dangerous and stupid plan. Nothing he said would deter them from it now and so just finished off his dinner in silence. The rest of the night was spent about the plan they threw suggestions around and in the end it was Cole once more who came up with the deciding factor.

"What about his partner?" The others looked at him as he sat on the sofa, "What about him" He turned to glance at them. "Well he is his co – founder the man who helped build up the empire so to speak. If anyone is going to be trusted into his office it's going to be him." He finished off into silence as the others pondered on his words, it was true that the needed someone who wouldn't arouse suspicion and a security guard would be to obvious they only stand outside and not in the room itself.

"…I think you have a point there" Piper spoke up a few minutes later. "I mean if one of you posed as this…Tom person then you can just walk in and say you picking something up, no one will think that suspicious will they?" She told them as the other two nodded. Leo pursed his lips, not liking the admittedly better than what they had so far, plan. But for the law breaking part it went against his ethics as a whitelighter.

The night came to a close as they agreed to start on the plan tomorrow. They all bid each other goodnight before ambling into their rooms. It may have been only a spur of the moment plan that still needed some tweaking, but with hope. They could get the answers that they needed from the office.

The next morning found them up early s Piper was keen to make a start. After showers and breakfast which was on the move much to Cole's dismay, they ventured out of the hotel and back on to the bustling streets of New York.

"I really…Don't remember" Phoebe cut off as she was forced to move to the side as man busy on his phone charged past her without thought of moving, "New York. Being this crowded….Before" She sighed as she stood back next to Cole. Piper snorted as they walked, "Well Pheeb's it has been only what? Like three…Four year's since you last been here. Times have changed and people have spread." She scoffed and laughed but nodded as they crossed the road.

"Why again are we going over thinking this?" Leo asked before looking at Cole. "Can't you just….Shimmer into his office that way and get what we need?" The demon shook his head, "I need to be able to sense where I'm going. I've never met any of them so I wouldn't be able to track them." The whitelighter frowned before nodding, Piper looked round as she turned to Cole.

"Ok well….I have no idea where this place is so….Do any of you?" She asked looking at the younger woman and demon as Phoebe shrugged, "Nope…Never needed Wall Street before so didn't go." Piper nodded slowly as she glanced at the tall man who was thinking.

"Quite a while ago since I've been on the East Coast…Or here in fact but…Yeah I think I remember the way." The older woman gave him a thumb's up. "Great now that we have a…Somewhat of a tour guide, I think we're ready to go." Before she began to walk again only for Cole to stop her,

"Actually" She sighed and stopped," Yes?" He smiled meekly at her before carrying on. "I don't know what he looks like" None of them spoke as the older woman looked at the sheepish demon before replying. "What?"

Cole shrugged as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know what this Tom guy's appearance is," She blinked for a few seconds before responding. "…You don't know…." He shook his head. "I thought demon's where supposed to be good at imitating people" She said huffily annoyed that their get in and out plan was not going as quickly as she liked as she watched him get frustrated.

"We are….Is just like with tracking we have to actually know what the person's aura is. If we don't then how can we copy them exactly?" He bit out as Phoebe placed a hand on his arm and rubbed soothingly. Piper sighed and rubbed her head. "Ok is there any way that you can…I don't know, find a picture…See what he looks like from there?" He thought about it for a few moments before pursing his lips.

"Hold that thought" Before he looked around and spotted a small narrow ally and led them over, with another quick glance around he made them stand guard as he shimmered away, Piper watched him go and threw out her hand's. "Great…Now we have to wait even longer." Phoebe looked at her and spoke.

"Piper he has to make sure that he gets this right. You don't want him to mess up and get caught do you? Granted it would be weird to catch him as an impostor looking just like the man but still. Others could know something was off." She watched as her sister sighed and nodded.

"What's wrong?" The other woman looked up and closed her eyes, "I just don't want to be waiting too long to find her," Phoebe looked at the other woman with slight confusion as far as she knew if what she had witnessed the last two days were anything to go by. Was that Piper was the least excited out of the two to find their new sister.

"Seriously Piper, what's wrong?" The older woman looked at her and let her shoulder's drop slightly. "I just don't want them up there to find out about her," She jerked her head upwards to the sky as the younger woman nodded,

"If they do then they'll now mom broke the rules….And I just, I just don't want anything to come of that because if it." She finished. Phoebe was sure that there was more but Cole made his return he looked at them with a smile and clapped his hands. "Ok…I got all I need, let's become Tom Fhenerburg."

He had quickly gone back to the hotel and brought up a wiki page of the co-founder with the Wi-Fi. He scanned all the info he needed, before looking at a picture of the man himself, confident that he had all he needed he shimmered back to the ally where the rest were waiting. Jumping slightly at the sudden re-entrance he smirked a little at Piper who glared back before nodding.

"let's become Tom Fhenerburg."

It took another twenty minutes but eventually they finally came upon the large overhead building that was Lugo-mex HQ, before they could do anything though they had to find another place so Cole cold change his form. Phoebe went around looking as the rest of them kept a close watch on the amount of people bustling in an out of the revolving doors

"Busy place" The demon muttered with Piper and Leo nodding. Just then Phoebe came back and informed them of a small pathway a few minutes away Piper and Leo opted to stay in case the person of their intended plan happened to show. They didn't want to find out too late and have their plan scrapped as they watched the others leave, a few minutes had gone by and they hadn't returned. Piper was getting anxious and was looking in the mass of conjugating people to try and see them.

"Where are they" She muttered as the blonde also looking on more minutes went by and she was about to go and search for them when Phoebe finally popped up beside the whitelighter scaring him lightly, Piper scowled at the giggling women.

"Where the hell did you go" She asked as Phoebe shrugged, "We had to wait a little"

"Wait" She nodded. "Why?" The younger woman didn't answer merely pointed over to the over side near the building as the others followed her movements. It took a few seconds but Leo could now see that Cole had been looking at them before nodding, the whitelighter tapped his wife on the arm to signal that he was across the road as they watched the demon turn and very confidently make his way into the building.

"He couldn't be over here talking to people he doesn't know in case somebody might see him." She explained as they watched him disappear, "He had to act the part and so needed to make his entrance look as real as possible." The others listened to her reason and agreed that it was the smart thing to do and so resigned themselves to do nothing but wait.

Inside the building the demon looked around, just like on the main street inside it was as busy as he made his way through the throngs of people cutting across him in a bid to get to their destinations. Aware he was getting a few stares he smiled thinly and nodded to them before passing on his way, just before reaching the desk he pulled out his phone and lifted it to his ear, if he looked busy then the less chance he had of being stopped.

Unfortunately the receptionist didn't seem to take notice as she looked up from her desk and stared at him in what seemed to be confusion. He arrived at the front before looking at her and giving the woman a single nod, she waited a few seconds still just looking at him before very slowly speaking.

"Mr Fhenerburg." He glanced at her still pretending to talk. Another few seconds passed as she glanced around the area in front of them before back to him.

"Mr Fhenerburg, sir." He sighed and took the phone away, "Yes?" She licked her lips and replied. "Sorry sir…It's just. I didn't think you'd be back so soon." Cole's stomach dropped. Well bugger him that was not what he was expecting as they faced off for a few seconds with him struggling to come up with an answer to her unexpected question. He smiled at the lack of response he lifted the phone back to his ear and decided to end the call. It would look rude if he kept the fake person waiting and put it back in his pocket.

"Was that her" The woman asked as he looked at her, "Hmm" She gave him a small smile and replied, "Your wife, sir.." He didn't respond merely looked wondering if he should say yes. She watched his face change and became scared that she might have crossed the line before stuttering, "I didn't mean to pry sir, it's just that you've been excited about the news for a long time and so…Was merely curious as to…What I mean sir is that has she had the baby yet."

He looked a little happier at the news. Finally something that could help him get out of his predicament. She saw the facial expression change from impassive to happiness and so sighed in relief, she really didn't want get in trouble. He shook his head and chuckled.

"No not yet but it is only a matter of time. " She nodded and shared his smile as he lent against the desk and carried on. "It's been get this, get that….You know if I wasn't married to her I would have told her to get it all herself." Before laughing again as he did he didn't see her expression go from happy to confused at his words and looked at him as he laughed, he looked up and saw her confusion before silencing, crap he had said something wrong.

"Something the matter?" He asked slightly sweating that he has blown his cover just as she replied slowly, "…Your daughter sir, I meant has _she _had the baby. I didn't know your wife was pregnant." The demon looked at her as his mind once more scrambled to come up with an answer, before he thought of one and gave her a charming smile as he replied.

"She's not…Thank god. I think we have more the enough" he laughed before carrying on. "I meant my daughter, what I was implying was that my wife is making me rush round to get all she requires. I don't know half of the stuff yet expects me to pick them up like I do." She laughed as he covered his mistakes before nodding, "I understand sir. My dad was the same." She looked down at her computer as he gave a silent breath of thank's before she glanced back up.

"So is there anything I can do you, today?" He shook his head before speaking, "No, no I just came in to get something from Richard's office. Is he still in his room?" She eyed him slightly before shaking his head. "No he is at that meeting, the one with Sony." She didn't say anything more and so he just nodded.

"Well there's no need to inform him I'll be in and out." He said with the confidence he had walked in with back in his voice. If he wanted to gain access then he needed to be in charge of the situation luckily for him she nodded again he breathed out and looked to the elevator and frowned as he saw maintenance. Looking back he asked,

"So when do you think they'll be finished?" Looking back up from her computer she followed his eye line and saw the workmen before sighing, "No idea. A few have asked and they said something about the line on the top. It's been an inconvenience to everyone."

"You're telling me" She hummed and looked to him. "More so for yourself and Mr Matthew's" The name had him turning back to her." You think?" She nodded. "All the way up on the 37th floor. That's one hell of a stair trip." She mused before realizing her language and looking back at him. "Sorry about the language, sir." He laughed and waved his hand. "It's nothing, really. I say a lot more at the end of those stairs." She laughed lightly as he smiled before nodding to her and started to move away, he really had talked for a while and Piper would not be pleased.

It wasn't that he was scared of her….Per say. It's just she really did like to blow things up.

"Well have a nice day, and I hope your daughter is well. Mr Fhenerburg." He smiled as he turned back round looking for the stairwell. Once located he moved over and pushed on the door before stopping at the very bottom of the steps and looked up, he groaned out loud at the amount he would have to go up and with a quick look at the door to see if anyone was about to come through he shimmered out of sight.

Coming up to the very top floor he moved into the corner so that if anyone was around they wouldn't notice him when he had not been there before. After a few minutes and no one came by he slid out of his hiding place and looked around before walking down the long hallway checking door's as he passed. Very soon he got to the door to his own office. Or rather, Tom's, as he opened the door and peered inside.

It didn't look too shabby, better than what he had at the DA but then again this guy was billionaire and so a nice office would be expected as he shut the door again and made his way down the rest of the hall. He took a right turn and carried on checking the door until at last he came across the room that he had looked for.

_Richard Matthew's_

_CEO and Co – founder._

Smiling to himself he opened the door and walked in looking around he was glad that the man was at a meeting, his room was messy. Far more than what was to be expected for a man of his caliber. Shrugging as he wasn't very OCD with his own he shut the door and moved further into the room now that he was here the hard part was down. Now the harder was to come as he shimmered out of the room.

Back down in the Ally three people jumped as he appeared back in the midst and smiled as they faced him he saw Piper was not happy.

"What the hell took you so long?" She hissed getting her bearing's back he lent against the wall and glared. "Well you know I did have to pass myself off as a man who is pretty much recognizable to everyone in there. Plus I had a little snag, one that I did not expect. Nor did we actually think about." This had them all looking as now worry etched across Phoebe's face. A cautious guard across Pipers and full-blown panic on Leo's.

"Why what is it what happened?" He scratched his neck and replied. "Well…It appears that Mr Matthew's is out at a meeting." Piper looked at him and shrugged, "So…That is good, that is what we wanted, that is—"

"And Mr Fhenerburg's daughter is currently having a baby…Which means he too is also not there" He finished looking at Piper as she has her hand halfway up,

"….Bad" She carried on at hearing the last part as the blonde man next to them started muttering, "We are so going to get caught. They are going to call the police we gonna get arrested and then the Elders will find out…my wings will be clipped for this." He started pacing. "Never mind that I'm going to get kicked out of heaven for this, arrested and committing a crime." He babbled as Piper rolled her eyes and let him worry.

"So what did happen" She asked seeing as he had not in fact been arrested. He looked back at her having given the panicky whitelighter a weird look and replied, "Well it took some talking and some rather cleaver acting on my part if I say so myself. But I managed to convince her that as she had not actually had the baby yet I was merely there to pick something up from the office." She listened to him nodding now and then before smiling.

"After climbing 37 dam flights of stairs" He stopped at the disbelieving looks before shrugging, "Worth a shot. After shimmering 37 flights of stairs, I found my office and I must say. Not bad for billionaires. Must become one sometime." Phoebe giggled as Piper hushed her, "But eventually I found Mr Matthew's office…And that is where you guys come in."

"O…K..What for?" He narrowed his eyes at her before replying, "Because. His room is a mess and I'm not looking through that tip on my own." He crossed his arms as Piper sighed. The older woman wanted it to be a quick snatch ad shimmer, she did not expect to play Martha Stewart to some guy's office. Her own was just as bad and she never cleaned that up."

"..Fine the sooner we get in the sooner we can leave." She conceded before taking hold of Phoebe's hand and grabbing Leo's as they all felt the slight distortion before disappearing from the ally and appearing in the new surroundings of the office. Dropping the hands she looked around and snorted, ok she took that back her office wasn't as bad as this, this looked like an elephant had partied through the night and left the room for the cleaners.

The place was a mess.

Folders littered the desk papers scattered along the chair at the side near the window a few empty sandwich containers were strewn across the table. The elder woman wrinkled her nose as she looked right around the room Phoebe let out a small shriek when she stepped on a plastic coffee cup and sighed when she realized. "Thought it was a bug" She offered when she looked u as Cole snorted, "Told you, right" They nodded.

"Wow for all the money the man has you'd think he'd pay a cleaner." She muttered. A few seconds later she sighed and clapped her hands. "Well we won't find what we need standing around bitching about how messy this place is. Everyone split up and look through everything that has words in it." They nodded and took a little corner each as they got to work searching. They didn't know how long they would have and so hurried through as much as they could.

"What is it we're looking for?" Cole asked as he pulled out a file from under a wrapper and flicked it open. Piper shrugged as she looked through the papers on the table. "I don't know…A telephone number…No wait. An address, let's go with that." The demon nodded and got back to his searching, around ten minutes later and still no luck. Phoebe sighed and sat in the chair in front of the desk. She span around musing on her thoughts and began opening the drawers as curiosity piqued her replacing the want to look.

She got to the third drawer after rifling through the top two and her eyes widened when she pulled it out

"Oh my god…"She muttered making the others look. "What Have you found something?" Piper asked as the younger woman nodded, smiling she pulled out black rectangular object and looked down in awe. "A photo" She muttered as her eyes ran over the image. Piper dropped her current object of topic and moved across to where the younger woman was sitting silently and looked down at the picture in her hands.

Her breath almost left her as she saw what her sister was seeing for the very first time.

It was of the three of them the two older one's which they knew now to be the parent's, and a third. Much younger and in the middle of them smiling happily, she was beautiful. She had long, wavy brown hair, porcelain white skin. High cheekbones which along with her thick hair framed her face. And large brown eyes which shone with happiness and love. The three looked so happy, but that wasn't what had Piper breathless.

"If she had blue eyes instead, she would have looked a bit like Prue." Phoebe muttered hitting the nail on the head as Piper nodded, the others had stopped their search and came over to look. Cole looked down at the fourth sister and mused. It wasn't a lot like the oldest but yeah…He could see some resemblance. Leo titled his head a little…The high cheekbones yeah…It was there. All four were silent as they now knew who it was they were searching for.

"I wonder what she's like." Phoebe said sometime later when they had got back to looking. The other woman mused on the question. She hadn't actually thought about but now that it was out there…Just what would they be on the receiving end of when they finally met her? Was she nice. She looked it on the picture but she knew from too much experience that appearances can be very deceiving, was she like any of them…Did she inherit anything from their family, did she have funny little habits or quirk's.

God help them if she had anger issues like Prue…That was not what they needed.

She was broke out of her reverie by a loud 'Got ya' from Cole as she once more put down the item she was holding and turned to see him holding up an envelope.

"And address?" He nodded much to their relief, "An address."

"But to where…Is it here? Because sometimes if there not home they get" He stopped her by holding up his hand. "It's to the house. Not here" He informed them as Phoebe let out a little squeal and dropped the bin she was holding, Piper rolled her eyes as she bounded over to her boyfriend before looking at the writing and let out a low whistle.

"Let me guess, somewhere expensive?" Piper asked as Phoebe nodded. "Not that I've been before but everyone who knows New York knows the richest areas and this is definitely one of them."

"Great" The older woman muttered as she made her way over. "Not only do we have breaking into important business people's buildings on our list. We might have very expensive houses to add to it." As she dropped her gaze to the held up envelope and bit her lip. She may not have known New York like Phoebe had said, but she had certainly heard of this place and dreaded the next stop on their tour.

_Further Lane Compound_

_2446 Brook's end, P.O. Box 1799_

_Bridgehampton, NY 11932._

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**_Hope every liked it...Considering i know it would be cheeky but i wold really like to hear your thought's, was it good was it bad, was it...Meh._**

**_Until the next chapter. :D_**


	12. So Near Yet So Far

**Here it is at last, the new chapter.**

**I would like to thank everyone that reviewed the last chapter, much loved. **

**And a really big thank you to Lizard Momma for helping me with little bit's of info that make this more accurate...Without it i fear i may have ended up insulting a multitude of readers and so i thank you once more.**

**I own nothing of charmed or anything else mentioned in this chapter...On saying that, do you think anyone who actually does have rights to these things know we write this stuff? It has always been a long thought out question that will never be answered i guess...Oh well.**

**Happy reading, :)**

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Cole shimmered them to the ally before going back to the office to leave properly. He had to make sure that he was seen leaving before just disappearing and so they waited until he made it out of the doors five minutes later. He met up with them as Piper kept a firm hold on the paper they had used to write all the details pertaining the houses address and their next stop. The address wasn't the only souvenir they had left with though.

Phoebe had, before they tidied the mess they had made. Got the photo frame back out and took a picture of Paige. Piper watched as she did and smiled at the look of happiness on the younger woman's face. She had really taken to this big sister thing already, and they hadn't even met her yet.

"Everything went ok?" She asked as he nodded and looked at the building. "Yep, made sure they all saw me leave and even waved for good measure." He told her as she nodded. "Good, last thing we need is anyone noticing something." She too looked back at the large building before shaking her head and speaking, "Well what are we waiting for? We have a new stop and a sister to find." She said taking hold of Leo's hand as Phoebe grinned and nodded before taking hold of Cole's as all for left the tiny alleyway and back to their hotel.

"Ok so we now have the home address…What do we do next?" Phoebe asked sitting down and looking at them Piper glanced at the paper in her hands. Well they had what they needed; they had the means to go. And if she remembered what Cole said correctly as she looked to him

"…..You said that Mr Matthew's was out the country?" The demon looked over to her and nodded. "Hmm some meeting with Sony I think she said." She nodded at the confirmation as Phoebe whistled.

"Jeez this guy must be getting paid by the minute if he's talking to companies like that" She said at hearing the world-wide known brands that Paige's father was mingling with. Piper looked back to the address before humming her agreement. "Well he is a billionaire Pheeb's so what did you expect." The younger woman just shrugged in response as the Piper carried on with what she had thought before.

"I say we just go" The rest all stopped their mutterings and looked at her," Just go?" She nodded, "Go where"

She rolled her eyes and lifted up the address "Where do you think." Leo looked at his wife before speaking," You want to go to the house now?" She smiled at his correct deduction as he spoke again.

"Are you serious "

"Well I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't, honey" She told him as he rolled his eyes, "We need to think things through first. We can't just go knocking on the door and asking for their daughter who has never met us before" It was her turn to roll her eyes, as Cole snorted. Sometimes whitelighters could be so panicky it was funny to watch. He glared at the other man who gave him a grin in return. He didn't like being mocked…He was just a cautious person.

"That's why we won't be going up and knocking on the door Leo." She answered him once his attention was back on her as the blonde tilted his head a little. "Look we know now that Mr Matthew is out of the country, but that can't be said for Mrs Matthew. She could be at the house for all we know." He nodded following along as he folded his arms.

"Right so…"

"So we do exactly the same as we did for the office only that if she is in one of us distracts her enough as the rest of us look around." She finished with a smile as the other man looked at her with wide eyes, did he love his wife. Yes, he had thought the Elders to be with her for god sake but there were times that he wondered just what he had gotten himself into and on hearing her 'flighty, extremely making it up as we go along' plan….Now was another one of those moment's.

"…..So one of us distracts her?"

"Hmm"

"Whilst the rest….Look around her house. Given mind, that she might only be a floor underneath and could hear us making noise" He got no response to that as he scoffed, "Yes honey…Brilliant plan."

She glared at him as Phoebe intercepted and got up, she placed herself in the middle of them and smiled to try to calm the situation. "Well we'll just have to make sure that we won't cause any noise won't we?" She spoke holding up her hands in a bid to get them to stop scowling at each other with Cole nodding trying to help.

"..You all think this is a good idea?" They nodded as Leo scoffed. Piper had, had enough of her husband's snide marks and turned to him. "Ok Leo seriously what is your problem? You have been nothing but unhelpful these past two days and every plan we have made you either think is a bad idea or dismiss." She glared again as he stood there speechless. The others not really liking when the arguments happen and hate when they get stuck in the middle simply sidled back keeping out of the way.

"No I haven't I just think the Elder's—" It was her turn to scoff as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh screw the Elder's Leo. None of us care what they think or what they do. This maybe our one chance and you're going to mess it up for us by what? Fearing of what a bunch of guys in robe's are capable of" He looked at her wide-eyed and affronted at what she had just said about his bosses. The other two looked at each other. This really wasn't the time for argument's not when they were so close and so Phoebe pushed Piper a little away and over to the other side of the couch.

"What are you" Piper started but was cut off by the look she was getting. "We are so close to actually finding her…We know exactly where she lives now and what...Your both going to spoil it by arguing now? Nuh uh….Not on my watch."

Piper crossed her arms and looked away for a moment before slowly turning to see her husband who was sporting the same guilty look. "She's right….I'm sorry." The whitelighter looked over before slowly smiling and nodding,

"Me to…..It's just I really don't want them to find out." He looked at Phoebe "I mean…I can see how excited you are and all of me really want you to be happy, the both of you. As you deserve it but a little bit just say's to me to be careful." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He jumped a little when a pair of arms slid around his waist as Piper looked up at him.

"I know honey. It's your nature to be like that." She sympathized as he chuckled before hugging her back. Phoebe smiled at them as they hugged for a while before she spoke.

"Well…Now that everything is back to being ok" They broke the hug to look at her, "Why don't we put what Piper said into action?" None of the spoke as she looked at them still smiling and clearly getting more excited, "Why don't we go now?"

"…What? Just walk out the door and go?" She nodded,

"All the way there….Now?" She nodded again still smiling.

"Piper shrugged and looked at Leo who but his lip but nodded though he really wanted to work it out some more as Cole mimicked Piper. She looked around once more and on seeing their acquiesce clapped joyfully.

"Great…Let's go to the Hampton's.

Deciding to go by foot…Or rather train. Seeing as they had decided no to orbing and Cole wanted to do the whole touristy thing much to Piper's confusion but shimmering was to out of the question. So they found themselves on leaving the hotel. In one of the many taxi's covering the street and on their way to the train station in which according to Cole who had looked it up, there was a train that would take them directly to Bridgehampton.

"Well if we leave Penn station by…." He scrolled down to see the schedule. "4:19….That takes us to a transfer at Jamaica" He held up his hand to stop Phoebe as he knew what she was going to say before continuing, "That leaves by 4:49 so we should….Be in Bridgehampton by….7:00." He finished reading the time's as Piper groaned.

"Great…Stuck on a train for 2 hours and 40 minute's…Just great." She looked out the window at the passing streets as they neared the station mentally preparing herself for the long trip ahead as Cole looked to Phoebe who shrugged. She didn't mind in fact. She loved going by train. She liked looking at the scenery the routes took them and so had no complaints. After fifteen minutes the taxi pulled up and came to a stop outside the huge station as Piper paid the fare before joining the others who were waiting.

"So…"

"So…." Leo replied as they took in the looming building that just like most buildings in the city, was bustling with people moving in and out before Phoebe decided to be the first to move she saw no reason to stall and so turned before calling back.

"If we want to make the train then I suggest we hurry the hell up." Before making her way inside quickly followed by the others who had, once gotten over the fact that they would soon be standing in front of the person they had so long tried to find. Caught up to her as they made their way to the front desk

Piper was glad that Cole had offered to pay once she heard just how much the tickets cost. She gaped at the clerk who informed them of the fares and was about to complain only to be pulled away by Leo who knew just how much of a scene his wife could cause and so stopped her mid-sentence as she angrily glared at him.

"Stupid peak prices…No wonder things are so damn expensive in this place….Bankrupt for life by the end of this week…." She sat and folded her arms over her chest as she watched the many masses of passer's by swarm to and fro before the other two joined them.

"How the hell did you manage to live here for a year? She asked her sister immediately as the younger woman sat down. She stared at the other woman not knowing what to say for a few seconds before ended on shrugging.

"Just did" Piper shook her head and went back to her ramblings

"…God dam ticket's…Buy a week's shopping with that." As the others merely smiled and left her to it knowing all would be happier when she stopped.

"Well we could have waited for off-peak" Cole added looking at the ticket in his hand. "But that would mean waiting until eight thirty…And something tells me that you wouldn't last that long" He said looking over and grinning at her frowning response.

"Your damn right I wouldn't" She bit out and thinking on the time they would eventually get there if they had, ten past eleven it would be when they arrived and knowing that if back at home. She would most likely be in bed, would guess pretty well at how her Mom would feel if they went up and knocked.

"…At least we don't have to wait that long" Leo said as he looked at the huge overhead board that listed the times and platforms the trains left at as Piper nodded…Something of a blessing before she turned her attention to Phoebe who had started talking to her to pass the time.

All too soon the announcement for their train departing was announced which surprised them all seeing as they had lost the track of time and so hurried to make it to the right platform showing the guard their passes before proceeding to board the train Phoebe made to get the window seats as Piper rolled her eyes at her sister's childish enthusiasm before taking the seat next to her as she settled down.

Sometime later the train slowly started to move as she was startled out of her momentary thoughts. Phoebe smiled and moved closer to the window as they picked up speed. She sighed and closed her eyes as the small chatter around her lulled her into a small sense of contemplation. The other woman was busy pointing out various parts that she had either visited or frequented during her time in the city to Cole who was looking with interest.

This allowed the older woman time to think as they traveled further out of Manhattan. As thoughts about what would happen once they got there drifted through her mind, just what exactly would they do when they reached their destination? What would they would do or say…Oh on what to say.

She had no idea. In fact it had only just dawned on her that maybe making the sudden rush to make the trip had in fact might have been too hasty. The more she thought about it the more nervous she felt. She didn't have a clue what to say if they did happen upon the older woman once there….Oh for that matter, Paige herself.

It hadn't occurred to her or the others that she might be at the house. They were focused on merely looking that none of them actually gave the notion that she might be there in the flesh….That was, to her, one scary thought. What would be Paige's reaction? What would the younger woman do when faced with people who, out of the blue. Knock on her door and claim to be her family, she had her family.

She kept her eyes closed as she thought with the others occupied with their own pass times. Leo was reading a small booklet he had procured as the other two were still looking out the window. She kept silent knowing that if she voiced these thoughts not only would she be self-doubting the trip, her pessimistic thoughts would spread to the others, Leo in particular. He had only just gotten round, albeit forced. Into what she had then thought to be a good idea.

Not that she would ever tell him he was right.

So she did say a word as the got closer and closer to their last stop before they could finally return home….Whether or not Paige came with them was another matter. Pretty soon they had to change trains as Leo went to get himself another book before the next train came by. The other's waited as Phoebe shouted at him to get her a coffee, it ended up with him making a stop at the small store on the other side to get them all drink's as Cole hinted that he wanted on as well.

Thankfully they didn't have to wait long for the next train something which Piper was grateful for. Thanks to her thoughts before she had worked herself up into a ball of nerves and she feared having to wait would only increase them to the point where she just would tell Leo to take her back to the hotel. Soon they were back sitting as the second train set off on its journey and onto their last stop. Once more she closed her eyes as once more the little thoughts about what Paige's reactions might be. The insidious little whispers crept into her ear only fueling her anxiety but she couldn't help it.

Soon the narrative commentary from Phoebe stopped as she gave up on her descriptions of places she had seen as she hadn't stepped foot in; places such as Freeport, Merrick and Lindenhurst, followed by Babylon, Bellport and Hampton Bay. She took in the scenery around her in avid interest as Cole looked at the passing sights and flashes of huge houses and whistling lowly, Piper saw the in fleeting and muttered at how over the top they were as Leo looked up before humming and then back to his book.

They stopped at Southampton as the com overhead announced the remaining station's as they were pleased to hear the next one was their stop. She had but a few more minutes to mentally brace herself as she sat up straighter and breathed in deeply. Leo looked over at her on hearing the sudden intake before rubbing her back gently she jumped a little on feeling the contact, and looked to see the blonde smile in wordless encouragement as she gratefully returned the gesture.

Soon enough and all too soon for the older woman their stop had come. The train came to a standstill as people rose from their seat's and started for the nearest exits as Phoebe hurried along pulling Cole with her as Piper and Leo quickly hurried to catch them they stepped off the train and took in the station that, for somewhere that housed building's worth million's, seemed rather bland, in Piper's opinion before a tug on her hand had her being pulled along by and ever increasingly excited Phoebe.

Cole had disappeared up ahead as they made their way to the exit why didn't they just take the easy route she would never know but her feet was killing as they stepped out onto the path outside. By now the air had cooled during the day and a cool mid day breeze had swept over in which Piper was once again grateful for seeing as she hated the hot weather. She had been happy to notice that the sea was pushing the cold air a lot faster inland as a whistle had them looking to see Cole standing in front of taxi he had managed to flag down.

Piper took the front seeing as the others had piled into the back leaving her unofficially voted to sit next to the driver. She smiled at the man who was patiently waiting as she pulled out the paper with the address on and passed it to him.

"Could you take us here?" She asked as he glanced down at the address before he nodded, handing it back to her he pulled away from the station as they drove off down the road. Phoebe just like on the train was eagerly looking out the window at the masses of huge and very much expensive houses that they passed as her eyes widened.

"Oh look that one has a pool" Leaving Cole to chuckle at he as she smiled sweetly at him and Piper rolling her eyes.

"So, visiting family?" A new voice cut in making the older woman look to see the taxi man looking at the road before glancing to her as she deliberated on saying before nodding slowly,

"Yeah…Something like that" He eyed her as she replied a little cryptically but nodded nonetheless and got back to focusing on the road as he managed the traffic.

"Oh look! Tree house….We never had one as kid's" Once more earning an eye roll.

The rest of the journey was spent in relative silence with only the occasional sounds of 'wow' from the other woman in the back as she looked on the other side next to Leo before sitting back.

"Paige is one lucky witch" She stated as Cole nodded, Piper didn't say anything but silently agreed; she had to admit that never in her lifetime. Could she ever afford even a shed on any of these streets. Or the entire island, this really was the home of the millionaires and she felt so out of place just sitting in the car. She breathed in deeply as they got ever closer…If Mrs Matthew's really was in how were they supposed to act?

Knowing just what kind of social circles rich people interacted with from the magazine's Phoebe often threw at her, she knew that they also had to act in a certain type of way. Was that all posh and proper? Oh crap did they have standards that they automatically had to meet. Would they be judged? Of course they would be, her Mother was like…First lady of New York or something, no doubt the way they walked gave the fact that they didn't come from here.

'Stop it Piper, no point getting worked up again…Almost here now.' she mentally coached herself as they turned off to the left before continuing down the road until they came to another turn. This one however led to a large house in the distance as the taxi came to a stop just at the driveway.

"So I'm I taking you to the top?" He asked looking at Piper who opened her mouth to no sound. It would look silly to get out now and walk all the way up, but then again as she took in the huge house overhead. It did look like the type not have taxi's driving up to the top. It was an expensive car sort of house and a taxi would only look out of place.

But then again. So would they.

Before she could reply Leo leaned over and nodded, "Yeah right to the top, please." As the man behind the wheel nodded and turned right as he proceeded up the long driveway as the house that was standing in the distance. Got steadily closer, this time Cole couldn't stop Phoebe from sitting in his lap as she took in all that was the most expensive and beautiful house she had ever seen in her life. It was even better than the manor and that had been in the family for countless generations.

Piper had to admit on coming to a stop once they reached the very top, it was a very decadent and detailed building, it was off facing sideways staring at the sea which was just in the background. Something which Piper had always wanted, as she and Cole split the fare before joining the others on inspection of the house that the Matthew's lived.

"….One extremely lucky witch" Phoebe spoke in complete awe and the grandiose of what they were in front of. Piper had to confess silently as they made their way around the side seeing as the door was on the other end, if she had a house like this it would make coming back to much more appealing, as they got round the side only to take in the scene in front of them.

"They have their own pool" The younger woman whined on seeing the huge and sprawling feature just off to the side of the well-kept lawn. It was surrounded by an elevated porch which housed a small section of seats under a little cave like building which was hidden in the corner just in front of a cluster of trees. Perfect for hiding in the shade on a hot day, Piper shook her head and turned to look for the front door.

It would do them no good to get this far only to marvel at the exterior of the house instead as she made her way to the large door closely followed by Leo. She was about to knock only to get stopped by the whitelighter and sighed in annoyance as she looked at him to find him wearing a frowning expression.

"What?" He didn't respond only closed his eyes as the others. Once the younger woman had stopped gazing at the pool longingly joined them Cole looked at Leo before Piper who was watching him then to the house.

"….No one's in."

"What?"

Piper turned to the demon as Leo opened his eyes on coming to the same conclusion. Both stared at the agitated older witch as Cole looked to the house and jerked his head.

"The house…No one's in…." He stopped on hearing her growl and took a small step back to Phoebe as Piper turned to the door which she now knew blocked the empty house. Before sighing in frustration once more.

"..You mean to tell me that we have spent over two hours on a god dam train…Spent well over $100 dollars and who knows on a taxi. Just to get here to find the house in empty?" Her voice was slowly rising and her tone suggested that she was only seconds away from blowing something up which in turn caused Cole to hide behind his girlfriend before nodding.

"…Seems it." Before another angry growl had him hide even further as she turned to Leo. "How did you not sense this before?" The blonde looked to the house before shrugging, "I wasn't really focused on the house to be honest. I was thinking on how to act around Mrs Matthew's when we got here….And you know," He added sheepishly. "The pool looks pretty cool." He rubbed that back of his neck awkwardly.

"So what now" Phoebe asked disappointment clear in her voice. She has been looking forward to meeting Paige's Mother. Maybe even her younger sister herself if she was here but now on knowing none of them were in." She frowned unhappily.

Piper took a few moments to think. They had come so far and were literally just a door away from the answers they needed she knew that this really was the last chance before they had to go home as she had to get back to the club and the others to had real life's to live. Plus if they hung around any longer then no doubt the Elder's would get involved. Actually she was surprised they hadn't called Leo up there yet to ask why he wasn't where he was supposed to be.

Oh well.

She dropped her head to her chest. She wasn't one for waiting and coming so close only to be denied now had pissed her right off. So right there and then she made a decision. The others watched as she looked up and then around the surrounding area seemingly looking at something before smiling and on turning to face them spoke.

"Let's go in."

All three looked at her in silence before Phoebe very slowly, so that she had understood, repeated the older woman's words.

"…Did you just say. Let's go in?" Piper nodded.

"Nope….Heard you right." As Leo took over

"You want to…break in?" She nodded again.

"Look…I don't see what other choice we have. We're this close" As she pointed to the door to prove her point. "No one' in or around, we're out of sight. If we just orb in than we can look around you know…See what she's like." The others gave each other little glances as they struggled in what to decide. In the end Phoebe shrugged and went with it she had wanted this for far too long and so smiled happily before nodding as Piper grinned and looked at the two men.

"…So?"

Leo didn't say nothing he had, had no say since the second day and was only going by what Piper did…She was after all, the leader of their little group. He was merely the transport. And knowing that even if he did object she would only get Cole to shimmer then in sighed and nodded. Seeing the other two make their choices Cole simply shrugged and followed suit. As Piper smiled happily and took hold of Leo's hand.

"Excellent…Come on then"

Shaking his hand in a bid to hurry him up the whitelighter sighed feeling put upon but orbed them the few feet across the sold door and inside the house as Phoebe and Cole shimmered in a few seconds later. Looking around they found that the hallway was huge as they could see the other room that it led off into and the sprawling staircase that led to the upper levels. Phoebe moved slowly further into the hall as she looked around the expensive building taking in the fancy decor.

"….I'm in love" She gaped as she did a complete 360 with the others moving along and into the next room she hurried to catch up as they all peered around the rooms that the hall led into and each one was as rich and detailed as the next. Piper could see it was well cleaned and so could appreciate the extreme housekeeping as a noise from the Demon in the other room indicated he had found the fridge.

"…..Screw Paige I wonder if they'll adopt me" The younger woman muttered as she ran a hand along the sofa and groaned at the softness of the material. Piper snorted before moving to the next room as Leo hurried along, not wanting to get lost.

"So where do we start looking?" Cole asked once he had been pulled from the large metal Mecca he had eyed as they stood back in the hall. Piper tilted her head and pointed to the stairs before giving him a look that sad 'You had to ask?'

"Well…If anything the one place we're going to learn more about Paige is the one place that's actually hers" She replied as he nodded.

"So…Her bedroom" Phoebe asked looking to her sister who nodded before motioning to the large set of stairs before very slowly making her way to the top as the rest followed on they eventually reached the top and to the next landing as they looked down the massive hallway that led off to different room's.

"Ok well seeing as I don't want to be searching forever and knowing our luck we just might. I think this is where we split up, look for a room that's…Not…Older people type" She frowned at her own word choice before carrying on.

"Once any of us find it just yell….But not too loud, you know." She added as they nodded and moved down different ends of the hall. Phoebe opened one door and found it was a bathroom. She snorted; she said it was a bathroom it would have fitted her entire bedroom in if she wanted. The place was huge. And the large oval-shaped bathtub at the other end was something she had the sudden urge to sit in.

But if Piper caught her then no doubt she would be in trouble so shut the door and carried on. Leo pushed on one door to peer inside and had to squint in the dark before seeing that it was a bed room….But on further inspection saw that it didn't look like what a twenty something year old, would sleep in and so deduced that this was the parent room and shut the door quickly before explaining to Piper who had seen his abrupt exit.

"Parent's bedroom" She nodded as he moved on. Cole, Phoebe had found, on coming to the end had rooted out what looked like a game's room…Or something of the entertainment kind as the Demon looked around with a huge smile on his face like all his holidays had come at once.

"What's this place?" She asked on seeing his lit up expression as he whispered in awe… "….Man cave" Before hurrying to sit in a reclining chair and let out a small groan of contentment. Phoebe looked back outside of the room to see if the others were around, and on not seeing them made her way inside with a small giggle before joining him and mimicking his reaction to the chair.

"…Oh…My…God" She sighed and sank back into what she would call a cloud. Both looked around the room before coming across the large screen like attachment on the other side as Cole let out happily.

"It's a film room" Both looked on at the blank screen that took up almost all the other side of the wall as he let out a wistful sigh. Phoebe looked over to him and saw his forlorn expression she knew just how much he longed for a place like this but seeing as he was living with them at the manor, space was very hard to come by and so patted his hand lovingly. They spent a few more blissful minutes in the chair before the door opened and Piper stuck her head in.

She frowned on seeing them jump out of the chairs and growled at them for slacking. "Would you two actually like to join in?" She hissed as she stared at the two sheepish expression's before sighing and shaking her head.

"Never mind, we've found her room….Or something that at least resembles a young person's room before retreating and heading back down the hall as they quickly left the room and hurried to catch up with her, they stopped at the end room.

"Have you seen how many bathrooms this place has?" She asked on entering the very large bedroom before stopping her speech about the vast amount of room's as her eyes roamed the spacious area and they almost fell out of her head.

"…How…How big is this place?" She asked in amazement. The room they were stood in could very much hold hers and Piper's room both together, it was massive. The large queen sized bed in the end corner was decked in a beige colored spread from the looks of it, fine linen. The room decor was a natural white with a fur rug on the carpet. One Phoebe hoped was fake. A recliner chair was situated in the corner next to a bookcase lined with heavy leather-bound books.

'_A reader_ Piper mused as her eyes gazed over the thick books at least she could say she had that in common with Paige. Across from the over sized bed was an equally oversize flat screen hung up in the middle of the wall. In which two double doors led out onto a small veranda that overlooked the large pool outside. With the other side led to the en-suite bathroom.

"…There really are no words to describe just how jealous I'm of Paige right now" Phoebe spoke. Half joking half serious as Piper hummed her agreement. It was an extremely nice room she had to say, but overall something that wouldn't do her, she had lived all her life in a cosy, warm area with a houseful of others. She never had that much space and so had grown used to that she couldn't say she didn't miss what she didn't have and so now standing in a room that she could it two of her room into, was a bit ostentatious to her liking.

"….Well now that we have expressed our envy of Paige's comfort space." She spoke up as they turned to face her, "We need to look around, see if she left a clue about where they might be or when they are coming back…That sort of thing." They nodded and took a corner each.

"But for god sake do not mess anything up, if's she's anything like any of us and that includes Prue, we need to pray that she wasn't a meticulous freak when it comes to her possession's" Phoebe shuddered at the mention as a sudden flashback of the oldest of them hitting her over the head for messing up her organized collection of jewelry came to her as she nodded.

They fell silent as they crept around the bedroom as they searched the room for anything that could tell them where Paige was. A note or something that could give them an idea Piper had taken the desk which had bits and pieces scattered over it as she looked across the tops her eyes landed on another picture. It was of the family again but this time it looked like they were on a cruise. She picked it up and brought it closer gazing at the three in the frame.

It looked like from when she was younger, as she was piggy backing her dad who had much darker hair. And her Mother…Well if she looked that good at that age she would be very happy.

"Thanksgiving, 1993" She muttered as she looked back at the picture. She would have been thirteen. Not a care in the world, as she put the photo down. The best place she had been to on thanksgiving was that trip to Pasadena to visit Gram's friend. Never a cruise in the middle of whatever exotic ocean they had been to, that she could feel envious about. Moving on she crossed more book's old school letters a teddy, a photo album but nothing on where she was.

Sighing she was about to give up and look in another area when something sticking out of the top of a half-open drawer had her eye. She knew it rude to go snooping in drawers but from the top of the letter it looked official, and so with the promise of putting it straight back she slid the desk drawer open more and carefully pulled it out she looked down at the paper in her hands and unfolded it the rest of the way before realizing that it was a letter.

A very long and very official looking letter, her heart was telling her to put it back and she was going to but stopped at seeing the insignia at the top right hand corner. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned down the letter and something in her stomach dropped. Lifting her head, she counted the month they were in now and the month's that from what she could remember, school's started. She knew it different in other states and so was trying to work out the particular one for the east coast as she looked back to the letter again and swore once it came to her.

"Son of a bitch!"

The other son hearing the loud curse stopped their exploration's and looked to her as she continued to read the letter,

"What is it?" Leo asked moving over to her as she read down biting her lip as the others moved over, once finished she let out a sarcastic bark of laughter and lifted the open paper on her hands.

"She's not here" The others glanced at each other before back to her as Phoebe spoke.

"We gathered that Piper, that's why we are here…To find out—" She was cut off by the shaking of the other woman's head.

"No…I mean she's not here and from the looks of things. Won't be for a very long time" That had them focused as the younger woman narrowed her gaze at the sheet in her hand now curious as to what it said.

"What do you mean?" She was presented with the letter from a very irate Piper who was now more than a little pissed off as Phoebe gently took it from her hands and the others moved closer so that they too could read what had gotten the older woman so worked up.

"_I am delighted to tell you that the Committee on Admission has voted to offer you a place in the Harvard Class of 2001 following an old tradition, a certificate of admission is enclosed. Please accept my personal congratulations for your outstanding achievements." _Three sets of eyes widened at the writing as Phoebe carried on reading right until the bottom.

_I very much hope that you will decide to join us at Harvard. We have enclosed a statement about Harvard's opportunities which might be helpful to you in making your college choice. Whatever your decision may be, you have my best wishes for every future success."_

"_Sincerely,_

_William R. Reynold's_

_Dean of Admissions"_

The silence in the room was palpable as the younger witch finished reading and folded the letter back up; none of them spoke as they took in what they had just read. Eventually Piper snorted.

"…Just great. We strain ourselves to get this far only to find she is god knows how many miles in the other direction!" She dropped her head and sighed defeated once more as none of the others still spoke.

"She's…In Harvard?" Phoebe finally muttered as Piper laughed sardonically and nodded.

"Yep…Little miss Paigey is a clever little witch it would seem."

"Harvard."

"Yes"

"But…That's"

"So far bloody away" Piper snapped pinching the bridge of her nose as Phoebe shook her head.

"Brilliant" She ignored the glare sent her way

"No Pheeb's it's not great. Now we have to figure out our next part of the plan" At that Leo looked up, he had thought about what all this could mean and hearing her say that didn't give his doubt's much hope.

"Er…Honey" She looked up to him as he gave her an uneasy smile and chuckled nervously, "What do you mean…Next part of the plan?"

The older woman stared at her husband in silence for a few minutes before throwing out her hand and replying.

"What do you think I meant?" She could see from his face that he didn't get what she implied and so sighed before speaking.

"Isn't it obvious?" Still seeing the waiting face looking at her she shrugged,

"…We have to go to Boston"

* * *

**New chapter down.**

**I know it's a little off cannon with date's and all but i figured it would make the story better and of more sense, again i hope everyone enjoy's reading and if by some chance i have made mistakes then i would be grateful if reader's told me, I'll do my best to read over it and see myself but i do tend to miss things. So an extra set of eyes would do me wonder's that, and I'll forever be thankful.**

**Until the next chapter, :D**


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